lili 


The  shover  was  gittiu  up  speed 


Frontispiece 


MINT  JULEP 


By 

MARTHA       JAMES 

Illustrated  by 
REGINALD  F.  BOLLES 


NEW    YORK 

W.   D.   LANE   C&   CO. 

1909 


Copyright,  1909,  By 
W.    D.    LANE    &    CO. 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

HOME   FROM   BOSTON «       1 

THE  NAMING  OF  HAM  AND  EGG 11 

THANATOPSIS  AT  WINTOP 17 

14  THAT  SHOESTRING  FELLER  " 21 

GETTING  A  JOB  AND  A  BOARDER 26 

ABOUT  CHOOSING  A  HUSBAND 33 

"  WRITE  AT  ONCT  " 41 

BELLA'S   DIARY 42 

BERNHARDT  AND  UNCLE  TOM'S  CABIN 52 

THE  BERUBA  PLANTATION  COMPANY 59 

SCOTTY  DISCOVERS  His  Loss 62 

THE  BERUBA  AGENT  SWINDLES  WIDOW  TOBEY  ...  82 

MINT  SHOULDERS  THE  WIDOW'S  TROUBLES   ....  91 

THE  LORD  GIVETH  AND  THE  LORD  TAKETH  AWAY  .      .  101 

THE  WIDOW'S  MITES 107 

"A  NOVEL  PLAN  FOR  DISPOSING  OF  BABIES"  .     .     .  110 

LOST,  A  Due  AND  OLD  CURIOSITY  SHOP 120 

WILLIAM'S  PAR  AND  MAR  ARRIVE 128 

MOVING  THE  HENS  TO  CHELSEA 135 

THE  HEALTH  MAN  is  FOILED 154 

THE  QUEEN  o'  SHERHA  APPEARS 165 

THE  MYSTERY  DEEPENS                                                   .  174 


2136492 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

MYSTERY  DEEPENS  —  (Continued) 179 

MINT  BREAKS  UP  THE  BERUBA  STOCKHOLDERS'  MEET 
ING       185 

THE   SMOKE-LADY 192 

MORE  TIIAN-A-TOP-SIS 197 

A  BUNCH  OF  PUFFS  AND  CURLS  .......  209 

MINT'S  FIRST  AUTOMOBILE  RIDE 214 

PLANS  TO  WELCOME  WILLIAM 223 

A  BASHFUL  HERO 235 

THE  PARTY 241 

PAR  AND  MAR  SAY  GOOD-BYE 262 

MOLLY  AND  BESS  RUN  THE  HOUSE 276 

ALMOST  A  TRAGEDY 294 

LOVERS  REUNITED 305 

THE  TROUBLES  OF  HIRAM 313 

MACHINE-OIL  SALAD  AND  LOVE 325 

"  AUTUMN  NODDING  O'EH  THE  YELLOW  PLAIN  "  .     .  339 
WEDDING-DAY  FINERY 342 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

The  shover  was  gittin'  up  speed     .       Frontispiece 

FACING    PAGE 

"  Your    wife    has    lost    every    cent    of    that 
money  "»,...»•...     77 

"  Mint/'  says  she,  "  you've  got  to  git  hair  "   .    148 

Molly  Burt 171 

"  Good  luck  to  yer/'  shouted  Mrs.  Kelley       .   270 

Her   whole   soul   was   bent   on   reaching  that 
drifting  boat    .      .  .  ..      ..      .      .      ...      .      .301 


MINT   JULEP 

A  NEW  ENGLAND  STORY 


MINT  JULEP 

A  NEW  ENGLAND  STORY 

CHAPTER  I 

\ 

HOME  FEOM   BOSTON' 

TOM    JULEP,    farmer    of    Little 
Acres,   struck   a   match   and   pro 
ceeded  to  light  a  small  lamp  on  the 
kitchen  table,  while  his  sturdy  son,  who 
had  just  returned  from  Boston,  where  he 
had  gone  in  the  early  Spring  to  work  for 
a  large  Ice  Company,  drew  a  chair  and 
seated  himself  before  the  stove. 

Although  it  was  nearly  five  months 
since  he  had  been  inside  the  little  farm 
house  that  was  "home,"  he  evinced  no  in 
terest. 

'  Yer  mother's  gone  ter  bed,'*  said  the 
older  man,  drawing  up  a  chair  opposite 
that  of  his  son.  '  Yer  see  we  didn't  ex- 

1 


2  MINT  JULEP 

pect  yer,  and  the  train  was  late;  did  yer 
know  why  it  was  late?  " 

There  was  something  more  than  a  de 
sire  to  gratify  mere  curiosity  in  that  ques 
tion;  Tom  wanted  to  get  his  son  started 
talking  in  the  hope  of  hearing  something 
of  the  outside  world,  of  the  great  bustling 
city  that  he  had  just  left  behind. 

The  old  man  had  been  to  Boston  once 
some  twenty  years  ago,  and  memories  of 
that  eventful  occasion  were  still  fresh  in 
his  mind  and  made  him  long  to  hear  about 
the  big  city,  what  was  going  on  there, 
and  all  the  wonderful  experiences  that 
his  son  must  have  had  in  five  long  months. 

But  it  was  no  easy  task  to  get  this 
young  man  to  talk. 

Not  that  Tom  expected  him  to  say  much 
even  then,  for  William  Julep  had  never 
been  known  to  say  anything  unless  it  was 
imperatively  necessary,  and  when  he  did, 
the  words  seemed  to  cling  like  the  leaves 
on  a  winter's  oak. 

"  Did  yer  know  that  the  train  was  late, 
William?" 


HOME  FROM  BOSTON         3 

"  Ya'as  I  thought  'twas  late,  father." 

"  Yes  'twas ;  ef  you'd  let  us  know  you 
was  comin'  I'd  a  been  there  to  meet  yer, 
but  yer  not  much  hand  ter  write,  Wil 
liam." 

After  a  few  minutes  in  which  the  old 
man  saw  that  no  answer  was  forthcoming, 
he  thought  he  would  make  another  ven 
ture. 

"  How  did  yer  like  the  ice  business?  " 

"  Fust  rate." 

"  Glad  ter  hear  it,"  and  Tom,  surprised 
at  the  prompt  answer,  looked  keenly  at 
his  son,  half  hoping  for  a  bit  of  news  to 
follow,  but  after  waiting  a  reasonable 
length  of  time,  when  it  did  not  come,  he 
ventured  once  again  into  the  barren  waste 
of  William's  conversational  powers. 

"  I  expect  Boston's  a  wonderful  taown 
now,  a  pretty  live  place,  take  it  all  in  all, 
eh  William?" 

"  Ya'as  'tis,  father." 

"  Suppose  you'll  try  it  again?  " 

"  Hard  ter  tell." 

In  the  long  silence  that  followed,  the 


4  MINT  JULEP 

clock  on  the  little  shelf  above  them  made 
so  much  noise  that  a  cat,  dozing  behind 
the  stove,  opened  one  eye,  only  to  close 
it  gently  again  and  stretch  out  her  black 
paws  in  drowsy  content. 

When  five  fruitless  minutes  had  ticked 
away,  Tom  gave  a  long  audible  yawn  and 
stretching  both  arms  over  his  head  slowly 
arose  from  the  chair. 

"  Wa'al  son,  guess  I'll  be  off  ter  bed." 

At  this  remark  William  cleared  his 
throat  and  glanced  at  his  father  as  if  med 
itating  speech.  Tom  saw  the  movement, 
and  so  fearful  was  he  of  breaking  the 
spell  that  he  let  his  arms  remain  suspended 
for  a  moment  and  then  settled  back  in 
his  chair. 

"  Anything  special  doin'  while  yer  was 
in  Boston,  William?  "  he  asked  by  way  of 
encouragement. 

"  I  was  jest  a'goin*  ter  ask  yer  what's 
yer  idee  of  marriage,  father?" 

"  Marriage  "  echoed  Tom,  gazing  stead 
fastly  at  his  son. 

;<  Wa'al  William,  marriage  is  the  nat- 


HOME  FROM  BOSTON       5 

ural  condition  o'  man,  an',  like  some  other 
natural  conditions,  ye've  got  ter  make  the 
best  of  it.  A  man  could  be  happy  'thout 
a  wife,  but  he  don't  allus  know  it  till  he's 
hed  one;  not  that  I'm  agin  matrimony, 
far  from  it ;  take  it  all  in  all,  it's  the  great 
est  institootion  on  this  planet. 

"  But  look  a  here  son,  why  do  they  go 
outer  ther  way  ter  assure  us  that  in 
Heaven  there's  no  marriage  nor  givin*  in 
marriage?  I'm  not  sayin'  that  is  held  out 
as  a  injuicement,  not  at  all,  but  it  sets 
enybody  thinkin'  a  whole  lot. 

"  It's  jest  like  this,  William,  a  man  gits 
married;  he  endows  a  female  with  all  his 
worldly  goods  if  he  happens  to  have  any, 
and  hisself  thrown  in.  Naow  he  has  most 
o'  her  human  nater  and  all  his  own.  She 
don't  count  on  that.  An'  she  has  some 
o'  his  human  nater,  besides  a  brand  pe 
culiar  to  her  sex;  he  don't  count  on  that. 
Fact  is  they  haven't  reckoned  c'rect,  and 
the  fust  thing  yer  know,  they  run  right 
inter  a  squall. 

"  Naow  if  he  happens  to  be  the  right 


6  MINT  JULEP 

kind  o'  captain,  and  she  a  fair  mate, 
they'll  git  inter  clear  water  agin,  and  look 
out  f er  squalls  in  the  future ;  —  if  not, 
they'll  keep  on,  strike  a  hurricane  some 
day  an'  go  ter  pieces  in  ther  dervorce 
court.  William,  the  ways  o'  wimmen 
is  alms  open  ter  specalation  —  they're 
doubtful  critters,  the  best  o'  them,  on- 
sartin  at  times  as  a  stray  hen,  but  tell 
'em  they're  right  nine  times  outer  ten,  an' 
the  tenth  time  jest  remark  casally  they're 
not  wrong,  then  you  go  ahead  an'  do 
what  you  think  c'rect.  If  a  man  f  oilers 
that  course,  marriage  won't  bother  him 
much ;  but  say,  William,  you  wasn't  think- 
in'  'bout  marriage,  was  yer?  " 

"  Ya'as  I  was." 

"You  was!  Do  tell!  I  want  ter 
know!" 

"  Ya'as." 

"  Was  you  real  seerus,  William,  'bout 
it?" 

"Ohlya'as." 

"  You  air  engaged  to  a  young  woman 
then,  I  take  it." 


HOME  FROM  BOSTON        7 

"  Wa'al  it's  a  —  more'n  that,  father." 

"  What !  you  ain't  gone  an'  got  engaged 
to  two  of  'em,  have  yer?  " 

At  this  question  William  remained  si 
lent  for  fully  two  minutes;  then  shaking 
his  head  he  looked  smilingly  at  the  old 
man  and  said  slowly  — 

"  It's  more  than  a  engagement,  father; 
fact  is  I've  gone  and  got  married." 

'  You  married !  Wa'al  naow,  grease 
up  a  little,  a  man  don't  git  married  every 
day.  Tell  us  about  it  —  who's  the  gal?  " 

"  She  worked  down  there  'n  Boston  a 
short  time,  though  she's  country  born  and 
bred;  raised  in  Farnham." 

"  I  want  ter  know !  Wa'al  when  all  's 
said  and  done,  William,  I  never  thot  ye'd 
marry,  yer  sech  a  silent  rooster  I  could 
never  see  as  ye'd  screw  up  talk  enough 
to  ask  a  gal." 

"  I  don't  jest  say  thet  I  did,"  piped 
William,  with  the  ghost  of  a  smile. 

"  Sho!  d'ye  mean  ter  say  she  popped?  " 

"  Wa'al,  father,  'twas  done  kind  o'  easy 
and  sudden,  naow  thet  I  come  to  think  on't. 


8  MINT  JULEP, 

She  tuk  care  o'  some  rooms  down  there, 
in  a  big  buildin',  for  a  perfessor  who  larns 
folks  how  to  speak  pieces;  ellercution,  she 
called  it.  Wa'al  I  used  ter  bring  in  ice 
every  day,  an'  me  an'  Araminty  used  ter 
talk." 

"  You  don't  say,  William! " 

*  Ya'as  Araminty  used  ter  talk  quite  a 
leetle,  an'  we  struck  up  a  friendship  some 
how,  hed  sody  water  with  ice  cream  in  it, 
an'  took  some  trolley  rides  of  a  Sunday. 
An'  one  day  she  says  to  me,  says  she,  the 
ice  business  is  a  good  business,  Mr.  Julep, 
says  she.  'Twas  out  in  Mount  Auburn 
grave  yard,  we  went  out  there  in  them 
'lectric  cars  an'  sot  a  while." 

"  Wa'al  guess  that's  all  father;  I  didn't 
say  much  but  we  got  married  yisterday." 

"  An'  I've  never  heard  you  talk  so  much 
before  in  all  your  life.  Naow  William, 
I  b'lieve  Araminty's  a  woman  thet  can 
rise  ter  the  occasion,  and  thet's  jest  what 
you  want.  Stands  ter  reason  natur  must 
provide  fer  a  leetle  difficulty  like  yourn. 
Is  she  a  well  favored  gal?  " 


"  She's  right  smart,  father,  she  can  talk 
an'  talk.  I  never  see  any  one  talk  like 
'Mint.  She  can  jest  talk  right  on  'thout 
thinkin'." 

"  Thet  ain't  sech  a  oncommon  'complish- 
ment  o'  the  sex  as  yer  seem  ter  think; 
'specially  in  courtin'  time,"  observed  Tom 
eyeing  the  bridegroom  narrowly. 

"  But  I'm  glad  yer  got  a  woman  thet 
can  talk,  she'll  need  ter.  Where  yer 
keepin'  her? " 

"Haow?" 

;'  Where's  the  gal  yer  married  yister- 
day  —  where's  yer  wife?" 

"  On  her  weddin'  tower." 

"  What!  hain't  she  up  here  along  with 
you?" 

"  No  she  'hain't." 

"  Why  consarn  ye,"  cried  Tom  with 
sudden  warmth,  "  whatever  possessed  yer 
to  do  sech  a  darn  fool  thing  as  thet." 

'  Wa'al  'twas  this  way,  father;  I 
wanted  ter  tell  my  folks,  and  Mint  al 
lowed  as  how  she  orter  go  ter  Farnham 
an'  break  the  news  to  the  childern." 


10  MINT  JULEP, 

"Whatlchildern?" 

"  Oh !  I  forgot  ter  say,  father,  thet 
Mint's  a  widder." 

"A  widder!  wa'al  ef  thet  don't  beat 
all,  but  widders  are  wise,"  said  Tom,  while 
a  broad  smile  played  around  the  corners 
of  his  mouth. 

"I've  no  doubt  yer  married  a  good  gal, 
an'  I  wish  yer  luck.  When  are  yer  goin' 
ter  begin  house-keepin' ?" 

"  Mint  '11  let  me  know." 

Tom  Julep  arose  and  pointing  a  warn 
ing  finger  at  his  son,  said  slowly,  "  Wil 
liam,  don't  yer  never  tell  yer  mother  what 
yer've  jest  told  me;  it  might  prejudice 
her  agin  Araminty,  an'  naow  I'm  a  goin' 
ter  bed," 


CHAPTER  II 

THE  NAMING  OF  HAM  AND  EGG 

FARNHAM 

MY  DEER  HUSBEND 
I  now  take  my  pen  in  hand  to 
let  you  know  that  I  found  sister 
Anne  and  the  childern  well. 

I  told  them  I  was  married  but  I  dont 
calkelate  they  are  old  enought  to  reelize 
their  nue  pa.  I  dunno  as  I  told  you  as 
I  had  5  childern.  I  dunno  as  you  ever 
ast  me.  My  oldest  boy  Jimmy  is  going 
to  be  a  orrater,  you  wouldnt  think  so  now 
cause  its  orful  hard  for  Jimmy  to  do  any 
thing  with  his  mouth  xcept  eat,  but  I'm 
tryin  to  cultur  him.  Its  bin  disappintin 
too  at  times,  cause  cultur  comes  hard  to 
Jimmy.  Sometimes  I  think  it  would  be 
most  as  easy  to  cultur  one  of  them  injuns 
front  of  a  seegar  store. 
11 


12  MINT  JULEP 

I  onct  heard  the  perfesser  tell  a  man  he 
war'nt  responsive  and  thats  the  trouble 
with  Jimmy,  and  its  the  trouble  of  lots  of 
folks.  I  had  an  ant  onct  that  couldnt 
smile;  she  warnt  responsive  though  some 
folks  said  she  was  jest  savin  her  face  - 
well  seein  it  had  to  stand  the  ware  and  tare 
of  60  odd  years  mebbe  you  couldunt  blame 
her  but  she  tuck  it  with  her  when  she  went 
and  no  one  was  sorry.  Theres  nothin 
cheeper  on  earth  than  a  word  onless  it  be  a 
smile,  and  when  you  meet  folks  chirrup  a 
little.  Thats  my  motto. 

Next  to  Jimmy  comes  Mamie.  She's 
reel  smart  I  dont  have  to  squeese  talk  out 
of  Mamie  —  she  can  make  a  clothes  pin 
argy  back  to  her.  Next  to  her  comes 
Tommy  I'm  a  going  to  make  him  one  of 
them  moosicien  fellers  that  teeters  on  a 
brass  trumpit. 

Last  and  youngest  there  meer  babies  as 
yet,  come  the  twins  Gresham  and  Egre- 
mont.  Thems  pretty  and  high  soundin 
names,  but  wait  William  till  you  hear  the 
dredf ul  sekel ! 


HAM  AND  EGG  13 

When  them  twins  was  born  ev'ry  body 
was  a  hankerin  to  name  'em.  Its  sup- 
prisin  how  folks  butt  in  when  it  comes  to 
namin  a  baby, —  the  meenest  relashun 
you've  got  is  willin'  to  dispense  names 
grattis. 

Well  tenny  rate  when  the  twins  come 
my  next  door  neighbor  said  I  orter  call 
em  after  a  saint, —  and  Bella  Ball,  me  and 
her  was  girls  together  (awful  romancin 
girl  was  Bella,  married  reel  well  Henry 
Ball  in  the  soap  greese  business)  well  she 
come  to  see  the  twins  and  she  said  as  how 
she'd  jest  read  a  lovely  story  about  a  hero 
who  was  dredful  wicked  but  hansom  and 
bold  and  she  wanted  to  name  one  of  the 
twins  after  him. 

Now  says  I  them  twins  are  goin  to  git 
a  name,  Bella  and  I'm  agoin  to  name  'em, 
— theyre  not  goin  to  be  called  for  saint  nor 
sinner,  theyre  goin  to  be  called  for  their- 
selves.  O  Araminty  says  Bella  in  a  reel 
coaxin  way,  call  'em  Gresham  and  Egre- 
mont.  It  do  sound  butiful,  and  I  must 
admit  I  liked  the  sound  of  Gresham  and 


14  MINT  JULEP, 

Egremont  from  the  first.  The  country  is 
swarmin  with  Billys  and  Tommys  but  of 
the  af oresed  there  aint  so  many. 

Gresham  was  a  nearl  says  Bella,  and 
Egremont  was  a  dook,  a  noble  dook. 
Well  I  weakened  and  they  was  baptised 
Gresham  and  Egremont  and  what's  the 
result;  Greshams  bin  biled  down  to  Ham 
and  Egremont  cut  off  to  Eg.  Yes  Wil 
liam  the  twins  are  called  Ham  and  Eg  for 
short  and  I  'spose  its  a  judgment  on  me 
for  high  soundin  names.  I  dont  beleeve 
in  pet  names  at  all.  Give  a  child  a  pet 
name  and  its  sure  to  stick  to  him  through 
life.  There  was  Boysie  Dingwell  old  and 
tough  and  grizzled  but  jest  cause  dotin 
parents  rhapsodeezed  over  him  in  short 
pants,  he  was  Boysie  to  the  end  of  the 
chapter. 

Made  no  difference  that  it  said  on  his 
toomstone 

Here  lies  the  body  of  Jeremiah 
Gone  to  sing  in  the  celestial  choir. 

Thats  what  was  writ  on  it  at  first  but 


HAM  AND  EGG  15 

afterwards  they  was  'fraid  folks  would- 
unt  know  it  was  Boysie  —  you  see  they'd 
spent  a  lot  of  money  on  that  toomstone 
and  twas  kind  of  disapintin  to  think  of 
any  one  having  doubts,  so  temr£  rate  at 
last  they  had  it  changed  to 

Here  lieth  the  bones  of  Boysie  Ding- 
well 
Gone  to  join  the  hosts  that  sing  well. 

And  now  William  I  must  tell  you  about 
our  plans  —  I  guess  sister  Anne  is  reel 
pleased  I  got  you  and  can  take  the  child- 
ern  off  her. 

I  tell  you  what  keepin  a  pair  of  imps 
from  takin  chances  to  maim  theirselves 
for  life  every  hour  in  the  day  is  no  sinch. 

Tenny  rate  Anne  has  a  chance  to  house 
keep  for  Dave  Ward  at  Farnham  Corner 
and  as  he  is  a  widder  man  it  would  be  flyin 
in  the  face  of  providence  not  to  go.  Now 
I  have  always  wanted  to  keep  a  few 
lodgers,  I  calkelate  theres  money  in  it  and 
its  me  as  likes  to  earn  a  dollar  when  I  can. 

I  never  told  you  William  that  when  I 


16  MINT  JULEP 

was  workin  at  the  prefessers  I  was  in- 
juiced  to  buy  a  share  of  stock  in  the  Great 
Beruba  Plantation  Company.  Its  a 
splendid  thing  to  invest  your  money  in 
cause  it  pays  you  ten  times  more  than 
savings  banks. 

The  share  cost  $150.  This  is  a  orful 
lot  of  money  but  by  payin  a  little  each 
month,  the  agent  showed  me  how  i  could 
git  an  income  for  life.  Now  William  I 
have  in  mind  a  good  place  to  locate,  and 
when  I  git  suited  I'll  move  all  my  things 
and  let  you  know. 

Your  lovin  wif 

Araminta 

P.  I.  L.  I  hope  your  pa  an  ma  was 
pleesed  at  your  gitting  Mint  Julep. 


CHAPTER  III 

THANATOPSIS   AT  WINTOP 

Wintop 

MY  DEER  HUSBEND  (that's  to  be) 
I  was  reel  pleased  to  git  your 
letter  and  I  am  glad  that  you  are 
going  to  help  your  pa  for  a  few  days. 

I  got  a  cottage  at  Wintop  which  place 
is  a  sort  of  a  little  watering  pot  for  Boston. 
As  most  all  the  cottages  had  a  name  on, 
I  painted  a  name  on  ourn  and  nailed  it 
over  the  front  door.  I  heard  it  onct  when 
I  was  at  the  perfessers  and  I  kind  o'  like 
the  looks  of  Thanatopsis  —  I  also  have  got 
a  card  up,  Rooms  to  let  in  my  front  win 
der. 

My  next  door  neighbor  is  mister  and 
misses  McPeak,  a  childless  couple  who 
have  their  house  just  filled  with  roomers. 
17 


18  MINT  JULEP 

She  is  a  reel  nice  spoken  woman,  and 
aint  it  strange  William,  but  yisterday  over 
the  back  fence  we  was  a  talking  and  she 
told  me  she  had  put  some  money  in  that 
Beruba  Plantation  too. 

She  doesnt  want  Scotty  thats  her  hus 
band,  to  know  it  for  the  world  cause  he's 
awful  close  with  money  is  Scotty,  but  its 
nothing  venture  nothing  win  with  her. 
She  says  she's  worritting  about  it  cause 
lately  it  hasent  been  paying  only  about 
half  the  devidends  it  did  at  first  and  yet 
she  feels  that  it  will  come  out  all  right 
cause  before  she  ever  put  her  money  in  it 
she  went  to  see  the  manager  of  the  whole 
thing,  a  Mister  Orrin  Feather,  with  a  of 
fice  on  State  street  where  you'd  sink  in  the 
velvet  carpets  as  was  on  them  floors,  and 
when  she  told  him  she  had  some  doubts 
about  its  being  all  he  claimed,  he  sed  to 
her  jest  go  down  and  see  the  Plantation 
for  yourself  Miss  McPeak.  He  says  this 
is  not  a  gold  mine  in  the  Wilds  of  Alaska, 
nor  a  well  in  the  heart  of  Afric,  says  he, 
this  is  a  immens  plantation  where  they 


AT  WINTOP  19 

raise  coffee  an  rubber  an  spices  an  sech 
like,  this  is  splendid  enterprise  for  you  an 
me  to  consider  an  reep  the  profits,  says  he, 
its  a  big  Plantation  not  far  from  a  thrive- 
ing  town  in  Mexico,  says  he  visitors  are 
welcome  an  your  inspection  is  solicited. 

Well  as  this  was  pretty  fair  she  bought 
two  shares  in  this  big  enterprise.  I  told 
her  that  I  was  kinder  sorry  that  I  had  put 
money  in  it,  for  says  I,  one  hundred  an 
fifty  dollars  would  buy  an  ofFul  lot  of 
coffee,  an  I  dont  never  wear  rubbers,  there 
too  drawin  on  the  feet. 

Still  an  income  fer  life  is  somethin  to 
try  for,  an  though  that  looks  like  off ul  big 
profits,  I  feel  its  a  strate,  honest  compny. 

I  had  a  terrible  lesson  onct  William  in  a 
dishonest  compny.  Did  I  ever  tell  you 
about  the  shoe  string  compny  William. 
Well  I  have  jest  got  to  git  up  from  this 
letter,  cause  Ham  has  walked  in  with  a 
bloody  nose  an  covered  with  dirt. 

I  never  see  sech  youngsters  for  trouble. 
Its  born  in  them,  an  I  hev  strong  doubts 
if  they  ever  grow  up  hull  an  connected. 


20  MINT  JULEP 

So  I  will  hev  to  quit  this  letter  William, 
but  I'll  tell  you  about  the  shoe  string  Com- 
pny  in  my  next. 

Your  lovin  wife 

Araminta. 


CHAPTER  IV 

"  THAT   SHOESTRING   FELLER  " 

WlNTOP 

DEER  WILLIAM 
I  was  glad  ter  hear  that  you  was 
well,  an  hope  this  will  find  you 
the  same  as  it  leaves  me. 

There  aint  any  special  news,  all  the 
folks  round  here  are  jest  about  the  same, 
but  William  I  want  ter  tell  you  about  that 
shoe  string  compny  as  I  promised  I  would 
in  my  last. 

Well  it  struck  our  town  like  a  syclone  an 
left  us  about  as  dazed.  Twas  this  way,  a 
reel  nice  appearin  young  man  came  round 
one  day,  smart  I  tell  you,  had  talk  enough 
to  run  the  country  an  he  went  to  every 
house  in  town.  He  had  a  box  with  three 
shoe  strings  in  it  an  a  lot  of  printed  dir- 
rections  how  to  make  them. 
21 


22  MINT  JULEP 

We  was  to  buy  his  box  of  three  shoe 
strings  an  the  printed  dirrections  for  one 
dollar,  an  then  make  a  full  box  an  send 
it  to  his  address  an  git  five  dollars  for 
every  box  we  sent.  The  boxes  was  to  be 
sent  to  the  United  States  army  in  Hindoo- 
stan  an  a  lot  of  furrin  places  he  men- 
shioned. 

Well  it  looked  like  a  good  thing  an 
every  one  took  a  box  an  paid  a  dollar,  my 
self  with  the  others  an  though  it  seemed  a 
lot  of  money,  what  was  a  dollar  I  argeyed 
when  there  was  the  chanct  to  make  four  on 
every  box  of  them  shoe  strings. 

Well  William  the  shot  up  of  this  was 
our  town  went  shoe  string  crazy.  There 
was  shoe  string  parties  and  shoe  string 
clubs;  folks  talked  shoe  strings  stead  of 
weather. 

They  forgot  old  grudges  an  met  each 
other  with  a  regular  shoe  string  smile. 
Old  Sally  Bowen,  with  a  spite  agin  my 
Ant  Eliza  of  years  standing,  met  her  on 
the  street  an  asked  her  how  she  was  gittin 
on  with  the  shoe  strings  as  nice  as  could 


SHOESTRING  FELLER       23 

be.  Well  bimeby  the  boxes  began  to  be 
sent  away  an  visions  of  wealth  kept  folks 
awake  nights  an  they  was  plannin  an  plot- 
tin  what  they  was  goin  to  do  when  they 
got  the  shoe  string  money. 

Mis  Beck  who'd  sent  three  boxes,  that 
was  fifteen  dollers,  and  who'd  never  gone 
further  than  her  back  gate  for  twenty 
years,  was  talking  of  taking  a  trip  to  New 
York. 

Sally  Lucas  the  butchers  wife,  offul 
dressy  woman  was  Sally,  said  she  was  tired 
to  death  of  home  styles  an  she  thought  of 
goin  strate  to  Paris.  Well  there  we  was  a 
hangin  round  the  post  office,  waiting  for 
the  wealth  to  come  by  return  mail  like  a  lot 
of  childern  holding  up  their  hands  to  a 
Christmas  Tree. 

At  last  back  came  the  boxes  shoe  strings 
an  all,  as  there  wasent  any  sech  address,  an 
not  till  then  did  we  reelize  that  we'd  been 
taken  in. 

Well  the  up  shot  of  the  thing  was,  there 
was  shoe  strings  enough  in  town  to  lace 
up  the  lower  limbs  of  a  nation. 


24  MINT  JULEP 

Twas  a  swindle  of  the  deepest  die  thats 
what  it  was,  and  Si  Banks  who  had  cussed 
like  fury  cause  he  happened  to  be  away 
the  day  that  smooth  chap  came  round,  an 
who  went  an  tried  to  buy  a  box  off  his 
wifes  niece,  well  that  old  Si  Banks  was 
jest  huggin  himself,  and  told  us  we'd  best 
make  a  rope  of  the  shoe  strings  and  hang 
ourselves  for  bein  sech  a  lot  of  Id  jits  as 
to  buy  three  shoe  strings  for  a  doller. 

That  sorter  cured  me  of  money  schemes 
but  wouldnt  I  jest  love  to  meet  that  shoe 
string  feller  once,  fore  I  die. 

Now  William  I'm  keepin  my  eye  on 
the  papers  to  see  if  I  can  find  some  good 
place  for  you  to  work. 

The  childern  are  well. 

Yours  lovin  and  waitin 
Mint. 
Put  in  later. 

A  young  lady  called  yisterday  to  look 
at  a  room  but  my  Maymie  playin  on  the 
steps,  told  her  I  was  out.  Now  warnt  that 
too  provokin  when  I  was  only  talkin  to 
Mis  McPeak  over  the  back  fence. 


SHOESTRING  FELLER      25 

My  Maymie  is  enough  to  clip  the  wings 
Of  Gabriel  at  times,  and  she  hasent  any 
tack  about  her  at  all.  I  have  made  a  hen 
coop  in  the  yard  and  am  goin  to  keep  some 
hens  cause  fresh  eggs  is  high  in  this  place 
and  kinder  scarse. 


CHAPTER  V 

GETTING  A  JOB  AND  A  BOARDER 

WlNTOP 

MY  DEER  WILLIAM 
I  have  got  you  work  leastwise 
I  think  I  have.  I  read  in  the 
paper  that  a  man  was  wanted  for  general 
work,  on  a  large  estate  so  I  went  strait  to 
the  address  and  saw  a  mister  Ogdin  in  a 
large  office  in  the  city.  Sir,  says  I,  you 
want  a  good  stiddy  industrus  man  to 
work  about  your  place  dont  you  —  yes 
says  he,  was  you  thinking  of  applyin  for 
the  job,  yes  says  I,  not  for  myself,  though 
I  wouldent  be  afraid  to  try  it  says  I,  but 
I  came  for  my  William ;  hes  a  good  stiddy 
man,  no  better  living  says  I,  but  hes  got 
one  failing,  he  cant  talk  and  thats  all 
there  is  about  it. 

Not  that  hes  a  deef  and  dummy  man 
26 


A  JOB  AND  A  BOARDER     27 

says  I,  hes  dumb  from  choice  not  neces- 
sitty.  The  fact  is  W^^am  Julep  says 
jest  as  few  words  as  its  possible  for  one 
human  to  say  to  another,  says  I. 

Well  do  you  know  he  looked  at  me 
kind  of  queer  and  he  says  my  good  woman 
send  your  William  to  me. 

Now  William  youve  got  to  leave  Little 
Acres  at  onct,  start  immejit,  cause  theres 
no  time  like  the  present. 

I  was  reel  sorry  to  hear  that  your  ma 
had  ruematiz,  she  ought  to  try  Bucks  Herb 
Mixture  its  splendid.  There  was  a  pat- 
tent  medisin  feller  came  to  Farnham  onct 
with  Bucks  Herb  Mixture.  I  disremem- 
ber  the  price,  but  I  know  that  mixture  was 
garanteed  to  cure  anything  from  a  in- 
growin  toe  nail,  to  hydrofoby  itself- — it 
would  put  whiskers  on  men  and  take  them 
off  wimmen,  and  111  never  forget  the  case 
of  Jane  Witherspoon,  Jane  was  invallid 
for  years,  had  akes  and  panes  in  every  part 
of  her  annatommy,  besides  the  simpathy 
of  the  publick  at  large,  it  is  true  William 
that  at  a  meetin  onct  when  a  bad  boy 


28  MINT  JULEP 

hollered  fire  Jane  forgot  her  crutches  and 
was  the  fust  to  land  safe  in  the  street  — 
but  that  aint  the  pint.  Jane  Wither- 
spoon  bought  a  bottle  of  Bucks  Herb 
Mixture  and  she  was  assured  by  the  med- 
isin  feller,  that  at  the  end  of  a  week  she 
could  hang  up  one  krutch  with  imputeny, 
at  the  end  of  the  second  she  could  hang 
up  the  other  with  a  cleer  conshense  and 
at  the  end  of  the  third  she  could  hang  up 
the  family  wash  with  resignashion. 

Now  William  I  will  close  hoping  that 
soon  you  will  be  home  with  your  lovin 
wife  and  childern  and  if  your  folks  should 
think  you  are  going  away  too  soon  from 
them  speek  up  smart  William,  and  tell 
em  the  time  has  come  when  you  must 
leave  your  pa  and  ma  for  your  own  lovin 

MINT  JULEP 
Put  in  later. 

I  am  learning  Jimmy  to  make  a  perlite 
bow  and  charge  of  the  Light  Brigade, 
its  hard  —  I  have  to  threaten  Jimmy  to 
keep  his  hands  outer  his  pockits,  but  Im 


A  JOB  AND  A  BOARDER     29 

bound  my  childern  will  git  cultur  if  I 
have  to  cultur  them  with  a  broom  stick. 

WINTOP. 
MY  DEER  WILLIAM 

It  doo  seem  as  if  fate  was  again  us 
livin  together  in  the  holey  bonds  of  wed- 
loc  for  any  considrable  time. 

I  never  thot  that  mister  Ogdin  would 
take  you  away  out  to  hunt  in  them  Rocky 
Mountings,  when  you  had  only  been  with 
him  sech  a  short  time.  He  seems  to  have 
taken  quite  a  likin  to  you  which  dont 
surprise  me,  seein  as  I  did  myself. 
Tenny  rate  I  bet  he  admires  you  cause 
you  are  a  strong  and  fearfull  man  and 
can  keep  your  mouth  shet. 

I  have  a  f  eelin  that  he  admires  to  have 
you  go  jest  cause  you  dont  talk.  Well 
that  may  be  good  and  then  again  it  may 
not. 

Some  one  has  got  to  do  the  talkin  in 
this  world  and  talkin  can  do  a  few  things. 
There  was  Johnny  Speers,  lived  alongside 


30  MINT  JULEP 

us  in  Farnham,  a  pesky  little  rooster,  allus 
bumpin  himself  again  some  one,  and  one 
day  he  went  to  town  and  bumped  him 
self  again  a  car  —  his  little  carcass  might 
a  got  a  good  stirrin  up  but  no  more  an 
that,  well  do  you  know  one  of  them  lawyer 
fellers  tuk  the  case  to  court  an  got  a  pile 
of  money.  Was  you  hurt  much  Johnny 
says  I  when  the  hull  thing  was  over. 
Well,  says  Johnny,  I  dident  reckon  I  was 
near  so  much  till  thet  lawyer  stud  up  an 
then  evry  bone  in  my  body  was  a  cryin 
to  heaven  for  damages. 

Talk  done  that,  William  —  jest  plain 
jaw  work.  An  now  William  I  hope  you 
will  be  karefull  —  look  out  for  wild 
beests.  I  shouldent  go  ramblin  round 
alone  at  night  if  I  was  you,  and  dont 
forgit  your 

MINT  JULEP. 
Put  in  later ' 

I  havent  let  one  room  yet  in  Thana- 
topsis.  I  spose  its  the  childern.  Most 
people  dont  hanker  to  take  on  five 
promiscus  all  to  onct. 


A  JOB  AND  A  BOARDER      31 

WlNTOP. 

DEER  WILLIAM 

I  now  take  my  pen  in  hand  to  let  you 
know  that  your  wife  and  family  are  well 
an  it  is  nearly  two  weeks  sense  I  heard 
from  you.  I  have  been  worriting,  Wil 
liam,  look  out  for  wild  animils. 

Theres  a  roomer  at  last  in  Thanatopsis. 
A  young  lady  pretty  as  a  pioney  an  do 
you  know  William  thet  I  have  made  the 
strange  diskovery  that  a  mistery  is  a 
hangin  over  her. 

What  it  is  I  cant  yit  say  but  theres 
somethin  ailin  that  gal  or  my  name 
hasent  been  changed  from  Allum  to 
Julep. 

I  says  to  her  the  other  day,  says  I,  scuse 
me  Miss  Burt,  her  name  is  Molly  Burt, 
be  you  reel  well  says  I,  an  she  says  to 
me  in  that  sweet  way  of  hern,  why  thank 
you  Mis  Julep  says  she,  I'm  very  well. 

But  theres  a  kind  of  sadness  about  her, 
an  yisterday  I  ran  acrost  her  settin  alone, 
and  if  she  warnt  weepin  I'm  tung  tied. 

I've  got  to  quit  writin  now,  so  I  will 


32  MINT  JULEP 

close  hopeing  soon  I'll  git  a  letter  from 
you  to  your  own 

MINT  JULEP. 
Put  in  later: 

Mr.  Voneye  a  reel  estate  little  German 
man  wot  rooms  at  McPeaks  and  who 
rented  me  Thanatopsis  is  goin  to  give 
Tommy  twenty  lessons  on  the  trumpit  f  er 
fresh  eggs. 

Them  hens  warnt  a  bad  investmint. 


CHAPTER  VI 

ABOUT   CHOOSING  A  HUSBAND 

A  CLICK  of  the  gate  one  bright 
morning  made  the  two  neighbors, 
who  were  indulging  in  a  friendly 
chat  at  the  fence,  glance  up  quickly,  to 
see  the  new  roomer  at  Thanatopsis  just 
going  out. 

"There's  Miss  Burt,"  said  Mint,  "I 
think  she's  'most  the  prettiest  gal  I  ever 
see,  an'  better  nor  that,  she's  jest  as  nice 
as  she's  pretty." 

"  She  is  a  guid  looking  lass  as  ever  I 
see,"  said  Mrs.  McPeak  as  she  looked  ad 
miringly  after  Molly. 

"But  there's  somethin*  wrong,"  said 
Mint  in  an  undertone,  "  there's  a  mystery 
about  that  gal  as  sure  as  your  name  is 
McPeak." 

33 


34  MINT  JULEP 

;<  What-ever  makes  ye  think  thot,  Mrs. 
Julep?" 

"  Everything  makes  me  think  it,  Mrs. 
McPeak.  What  is  a  gal  like  her  doin', 
livin'  like  this,  jest  look  at  her  clo'es,  they 
are  not  showy  nor  gay,  not  at  all,  but  they 
are  the  very  finest  quality,  Mrs.  McPeak, 
and  she  wears  them  like  a  queen.  She 
ain't  no  ordinary  gal,  it's  plain  to  see  that ; 
she's  a  lady  born  and  bred  but  there's 
something  gone  wrong,  for  she's  not  feel 
ing  happy  —  anyone  can  see  that." 

"  P'r'aps  she  is  in  love,  Mrs.  Julep." 

"  In  love!  why  bless  yer  that  wouldn't 
make  a  gal  look  sad  an'  yaller.  When  a 
gal's  in  love,  she's  bloomin'  as  a  mornin' 
glory,  thinks  the  whole  world's  heaven, 
an'  her  young  man  a  little  better  than  the 
angels." 

;'  Well  it  may  be  that  the  course  of 
true  love  ain't  running  smooth,  Mrs. 
Julep." 

"  O !  of  course  if  there's  any  trouble  or 
misunderstandin',  I  s'pose  it's  different. 
I'd  like  to  give  gals  some  good  motherly 


CHOOSING  A  HUSBAND      35 

advice  on  love  and  matrimony,  for  when 
love  gits  into  the  heart,  common  sense 
flies  outer  the  head  of  lots  of  gals. 
Most  gals  don't  go  the  right  way  about 
matrimony,  anyhow." 

"  It's  a  foolish  age,  Mrs.  Julep,  and 
ye  can't  expect  too  much  of  a  gal  when 
she's  in  love." 

'  Well,  if  a  gal  wants  to  git  married, 
an'  that's  the  lot  of  most  of  'em,  not  but 
what  a  single  woman  has  much  to  be 
thankful  f er,  but  if  a  gal  wants  a  husband, 
then  says  I,  let  her  go  about  it  in  a  busi 
ness-like  way.  If  a  gal  is  goin'  to  git 
a  new  dress  she  don't  take  any  old  thing, 
nor  yit  the  fust  cloth  she  looks  at  alms. 
She  goes  'round  a  little  and  spends  some 
time  lookin';  she  looks  at  the  color  and 
the  weave,  finds  out  if  it  will  wash  and 
wear  well,  and  if  it  will  shrink  from  water, 
and  a  whole  lot  more  'fore  she'll  make  up 
her  mind  to  take  it. 

"  Now  it  do  seem  to  me  no  more  than 
reasonable  that  she  be  willin'  to  spend  as 


36  MINT  JULEP 

much  thought  on  the  man  she's  goin*  to 
take  fer  the  rest  of  her  life. 

"  Let  her  find  out  his  price,  how  much 
he  can  earn ;  let  her  look  at  the  weave  and 
the  color,  that's  whether  he's  a  decent, 
God  fearin',  religious  man,  or  one  of 
them  light  fingered,  flip-tongued  scoff 
ers  that  has  no  religion  hisself,  but  tries 
to  take  away  everybody  else's,  and  let  her 
find  out  above  all  if  he  shrinks  from  water. 
If  more  gals  'ud  find  that  out  'fore  they 
married,  it  would  save  heaps  of  misery 
afterward. 

"  I've  no  patience  with  shilly-shallyin' 
gals  that  set  down  waitin'  for  the  fust 
thing  that  might  grow  whiskers,  to  come 
along  and  ask  them.  Didn't  the  good 
Lord  give  them  a  tongue  and  all  the 
minor  senses?  Well  He  did  and  He  ex 
pects  'em  to  use  it,  and  there's  no  word 
in  the  Bible  agin  a  woman  findin'  a  good 
husband,  for  just  look  at  Ruth,  the 
Moabitess,  and  how  she  found  Boaz. 

"  My  advice  to  gals  is,  if  you  want  a 
good  husband,  jest  look  round  till  he  finds 


CHOOSING  A  HUSBAND      37 

you,  and  you  can  help  him  if  he's  not 
good  at  findin'. 

"  When  I  was  twenty  I  didn't  have 
them  sentiments,  if  I  did,  mebbe  I 
wouldn't  be  Mint  Julep  to-day,  though 
yer  can't  allus  tell." 

"  That  ye  can't,  Mrs.  Julep,  for  they 
do  say  as  ye'll  get  what's  laid  out  for  ye." 

"  Well,  as  fur  as  that  goes,  my  grand 
mother  used  ter  say  if  a  gal  set  in  the 
corner  all  her  life,  her  fate  'ud  walk  in 
some  day  an'  set  in  the  oppsite  corner; 
mebbe  'twas  ordered  f er  folks  to  play  puss 
in  the  corner  for  a  mate,  but  I  have  my 
doubts. 

"  When  I  was  eighteen,  one  of  my 
brother  Hiram's  walkin'  mates  used  ter 
set  a  heap  by  my  cake  and  biscuit,  and 
there's  no  knowin'  what  might  'a  hap 
pened  if  I'd  egged  him  on  a  little  after 
a  good  meal,  but  I  didn't,  never  —  an' 
when  I  was  about  twenty  there  was  a 
man  with  nine  childern  in  our  town  who 
walked  home  from  church  with  me,  strait 
to  the  door,  the  first  Sunday  he  'peared 


38  MINT  JULEP 

out  as  a  widder  man,  but  I  warn't  a  bit 
spunky  in  those  days  an'  a  reddy  made 
family  has  its  drawbacks  well  as  its  ad 
vantages.  But  I  learned  to  look  at  things 
diffrent  later  an'  when  big  Tom  Evans 
came  'round  castin'  sheep  eyes  at  Matildy, 
I  up  an'  clinched  the  matter  right  then  an' 
thar. 

"  Matildy  was  the  youngest  of  all  of 
us  an'  looked  on  me  as  her  mother  —  a 
right  good  gal  she  was,  an'  pretty  as  a 
piny.  She  was  awful  bashfull  an'  Tom 
was  more  so,  but  he  managed  to  stalk  inter 
the  house  seven  nights  a  week  an'  set  thar 
a  chewin'  a  straw. 

;'  That  state  of  affairs  kept  on  fer 
three  months,  an'  then  one  night  I  sent 
Matildy  to  Ant  Liza's  a  purpose  an'  I 
swooped  down  on  Tom  after  he'd  settled 
comfortably  in  the  best  chair  an'  begun 
to  chew  his  straw.  '  Tom,'  says  I,  '  yer 
cheatin'  some  poor  hoss  outer  a  lot  of  good 
feed  —  why  not  git  married  an'  save  the 
hay.  In  other  words,'  says  I,  '  what's  yer 
intenshions,  if  I  might  ask,  toward  Ma 
tildy.' 


CHOOSING  A  HUSBAND      39 

"  Well,  Tom  looked  as  if  he  was  goin' 
to  fall  all  in  a  heep.  '  I  ain't  a  meenin' 
any  harm,'  says  Tom,  scairt  to  death  — 
'  Then  yer  must  be  meanin'  matrimoney,' 
says  I,  '  'cause  anything  else  would  be 
harm  after  takin'  up  a  gal's  time  fer  three 
months.' 

:'  Well,  Tom  had  sense  an'  was  manly 
spite  of  his  grass  chewin',  an'  tenny  rate, 
him  an'  Matildy  got  married  that  spring. 
If  a  man  hasent  any  intents  or  purpose 
toward  matrimoney  then  he'd  better  not 
go  callin'  steddy  on  a  gal  till  he  has,  an' 
if  he  has  intents,  he  knows  it  jest  as  well 
in  three  months  as  twelve  —  so  what's 
the  good  of  wastin'  ile,  an'  wearin'  out 
the  parlor  furnitoor. 

'  'Nother  thing  I've  noticed,  when 
they're  coortin',  folks  allus  keep  the  best 
side  out,  an'  it's  perfeckly  proper  thet 
they  should,  but  there'd  be  a  lot  more  suc 
cessful  matches,  if  they'd  continue  to 
keep  the  best  side  out  after  marriage. 
Some  way  or  other  men  are  awful  human 
an'  I  don't  blame  'em  lots  of  times.  If 


40  MINT  JULEP 

it  warn't  fer  the  men  the  world  wouldn't 
be  as  round  as  they  say  'tis.  At  the  same 
time  I  do  hope  thet  sweet  Miss  Burt  ain't 
wearin'  her  heart  out  fer  any  man  —  she 
can  git  along  without  the  man,  but  she 
can't  without  the  heart,  an'  there  never 
was  a  man  yit  on  this  blessed  earth,  a  mite 
too  good  fer  a  good  woman. 

"  Matein'  is  queer  any  way  you  look 
at  it.  Gals  thet  like  tall  men,  git  short 
ones  —  an'  those  thet  'ud  fancy  flesh,  are 
more  than  apt  to  have  to  take  skin  an' 
bone. 

"  From  the  time  I  calkelated  on  man 
as  a  mate,  I  allus  did  admire  one  thet 
could  blow  a  brass  trumpit,  bow  to  the 
ladies  an*  make  a  perlite  speech.  Good 
lands,  d'ye  see  what  I  got  —  my  first  hus 
band,  Jamesy  Allum,  was  a  little  deef, 
an'  my  second  is  all  but  dumb,  not  but 
there's  wuss  men  than  William  Julep,  an' 
I  doo  think  William  is  good  lookin', 
though  he  seems  pessesed  to  greese  his 
hair  an'  now  I  have  got  to  go,  Mis  Mc- 
Peak.  I  have  stayed  talkin'  too  long." 


CHAPTER  VII 


WRITE  AT  ONCT" 


WlNTOP 

DEER  WILLIAM  : 
Its    now    three    weeks    sense    I 
heard  from  you  an  if  you  don't 
write  at  onct,  I'll  start  for  them  Rockey 
Mountings  immejit,  else  how  can  I  know 
thet  you  are  alive  in  sech  compny. 

The  least  any  woman  can  know  about 
herself  is  whether  she  be  maid  wife  or 
widder.  Write  at  onct  an  dont  make  it 
so  pesky  short. 

Your  wife, 

ARAMINTA  JULEP. 
P.  i.  1. 

My  Jimmy  is  doin'   splendid,  he  has 
learned  to  say  his  piece  reel  well,  he  will 
resite  it  fer  you  when  you  git  home. 
41 


CHAPTER  VIII 

BELLA'S  DIARY 

4  6T  IT  TELL,  Miss  Burt,  it  do  seem  as 
y   y     if  I  was  alhis  bumpin'  into 
you  when  you  was  writin'  in 
that  little  book.     All  the  time  I  was  get- 
tin'  my  vegetables  ready  fer  dinner,  I 
could  look  right  through  the  settin'  room 
an'  see  you  on  the  porch,  writin'  away." 

"  I  keep  a  diary,"  laughed  Molly,  "  did 
you  ever  keep  one,  Mrs.  Julep  ?  " 

"  Keep  a  diry !  never !  If  yer  do  a  good 
thing  you'll  remember  it,  an'  if  yer  do 
a  foolish  one,  yer  friends  won't  let  yer 
f orgit  it  —  you'll  be  reminded  either  way 
so  wot's  the  use  of  writin'  it  down." 

'  There's  a  good  bit  of  philosophy  in 
that,  Mrs.  Julep,"  said  Molly  with  a  smile. 

"  I  remember  though  the  fust  timel  ever 
heard  tell  of  a  diry,"  Mint  went  on. 
42 


BELLA'S  DIARY  43 

"  I  had  a  friend  onct,  Bella.  Awful 
romancin'  gal  was  Bella,  married  reel 
well  in  the  soap  greese  bisness,  an'  one  day 
she  told  me  she  was  goin'  to  keep  a  diry. 
I  didn't  tell  you  that  Bella  was  one  of 
nine,  loafin'  on  her  dad  who  uster  sell  milk 
in  Farnham,  did  I.  Well,  'tenny  rate,  I 
thought  Bella  was  goin'  to  put  in  an'  do 
some  work,  instead  of  which  she  pulls  out 
a  little  black  book  —  -'  everything  I  do  in 
the  coorse  of  the  day,'  says  Bella,  *  I'm 
goin'  to  write  down  here.  This  is  what 
happened  yisterday,'  says  she,  an'  she  be 
gan  to  read  like  this : 

'  Pleasant  day,  I  riz  at  six,  et  pie  an' 
coffee,  went  out,  met  a  man,  he  looked 
right  at  me,'  an'  so  on.  *  Is  thet  a  diry, 
Bella? '  says  I,  when  she  got  so  far  as  put- 
tin'  her  front  hair  up  in  papers,  an'  lamp 
out  f  er  the  night.  '  Yes,'  says  Bella, '  ain't 
it  a  cute  idee? '  '  It'd  be  a  handy  thing  to 
put  alongside  of  your  corpse,'  says  I,  *  all 
you'd  have  to  do  on  the  other  side  would 
be  to  pass  it  to  the  recordin'  angel,  and 
save  him  the  time  of  lookin'  you  up.' 


44  MINT  JULEP 

"  What's  the  good  of  writin'  down  all 
the  fiddle  f addles  of  life  anyhow,  it  seems 
to  me  a  sensible  person  will  forgit  them 
as  quick  as  he  can.  The  Bible  is  my 
diry  —  I've  got  writ  down  the  day  and 
date  of  my  marriage  to  William  Julep, 
not  that  I'm  likely  to  forgit  it,  which  is 
more'n  I'd  vouch  for  him,  an'  my  chil- 
dern's  births;  as  for  weather,  the  Bible 
records  quite  a  storm  in  Noah's  time  — 
it's  the  only  storm  for  Christians  to  re 
member.  No,  I  can't  say  that  I  believe  in 
diries,  Miss  Burt." 

'  Well,  my  mother  kept  one,  and  my 
grandmother  did  also.  I  think,"  said 
Molly,  by  way  of  apology,  "  that  it  runs 
in  the  family  to  keep  a  diary." 

"  There's  lots  of  things  run  in  families 
thet  orter  be  run  out.  Take  my  brother 
Hiram,  he  used  ter  play  hookey  from 
school  when  he  was  a  lad,  an'  was  allus 
wanderin'  off,  'specially  when  there  was 
any  work  to  do  —  he  never  forgot  to  turn 
up  at  meal  time  though ;  well,  he  grew  to 
be  a  stiddy  shirker,  an'  mother  used  ter 


BELLA'S  DIARY  45 

say,  same  as  if  'twas  somethin'  to  be  cocked 
up  about,  '  Oh  well,  gran'pa  was  a  great 
traveller,  it  runs  in  the  family,'  and  then 
Hiram  would  go  off  again. 

"  Well,  Hiram  had  a  impedalment  in 
his  speech,  an'  stuttered  somethin'  offul 
when  he  got  mad.  Why,  he  used  to  git 
so  riled  up,  the  words  would  jest  stick  in 
his  thrut,  and  then  he  had  a  pecooliar  habit 
of  raisin'  his  leg  to  sorter  help  him  git 
them  out. 

;'  Well,  one  day  poor  mother  died,  and 
the  burden  of  Hiram  and  a  household  fell 
on  me.  I  uster  lay  awake  at  nights, 
thinkin'  of  Hiram's  case  —  there  was  no 
use  scoldin'  or  appealin'  to  his  pride,  'cause 
he  bed  none. 

"  Onct  I  told  him  thet  he  was  loosin' 
his  looks,  folks  uster  call  him  handsome, 
and  most  every  one  has  a  vanity  spot 
somewhere,  an'  you  can  hit  a  lot  of  people 
on  that  spot. 

'  But  Hiram  didn't,  all  he  had  was  a 
good  appetite,  an'  a  spite  fer  work. 

"  Well,  at  last  I  hit  on  a  desprit  plan. 


46  MINT  JULEP 

I  bed  a  fit  one  night,  outside  his  door,  an' 
he  was  scairt  to  death,  an'  the  next  day 
I  was  terrible  sick  an'  made  him  promise 
not  to  leave  me  an'  whenever  I  see  him 
gettin'  restless,  I'd  jest  drop  off  inter  one 
of  them  fits,  an'  when  I  came  out  I'd  tell 
him  I  wasn't  goin'  to  last  long  an'  I'd 
will  him  the  ten  acre  lot,  thet  was  mine 
from  Aunt  Mary.  Well,  to  make  a  long 
story  short,  Hiram  stayed  on  till  he  got 
so  dead  sick  of  the  house,  he  came  one 
day  an'  told  me  he'd  half  a  mind  to  go 
to  work  fer  John  Barnes,  who  needed  an 
extry  man. 

'  Go,  Hiram,'  says  I,  martyr  like, 
*  you're  a  young  man  an'  I  don't  want  ter 
be  interferin'  with  yer  prospects.'  Thet 
was  a  good  thing  fer  me  an'  better  still  fer 
Hiram  —  John  Barnes  shook  some  of  the 
laziness  outer  him,  then  he  married  Peggy 
Barnes,  an'  she  done  the  rest,  for  he  never 
travelled  forty  feet  from  his  own  door  you 
bet,  without  Peggy. 

'  Yes,   there's   many   a   fault  an'   bad 
habit  that  folks  saddle  off  on  some  harm- 


BELLA'S  DIARY  47 

less  member  of  the  family  thet's  dead  an' 
gone,  an'  can't  rise  up  to  contradic'  them. 

"  I  don't  see  the  sense  of  keepin'  lots 
of  things  thet  folks  keep,  anyhow  —  Take 
clothes,  if  folks  would  take  down  some  of 
the  clothes  thet's  hangin'  on  a  peg,  an' 
hang  them  on  some  poor  human,  the  world 
would  look  better  an'  so  would  the  clothes. 
There's  my  purple  silk,  I  give  you  my 
word,  Miss  Burt,  I  never  was  one  thet 
titivated  more'n  the  average,  but  I  allus 
did  want  a  purple  silk.  I  uster  think  if 
I  could  sweep  down  the  aisle  of  a  Sabbath, 
an'  know  thet  a  shimmerin'  purple  was 
rustlin'  at  every  step,  I  could  defy  Satan 
an'  all  his  coworts  —  visions  of  thet  silk 
uster  come  between  me  an'  my  chanct  of 
heaven  in  them  days.  Well  I  got  it,  an' 
now  it's  put  away  in  musk,  I'm  'most 
ashamed  to  say. 

"  Some  folks  are  allus  hoardin'  anyway. 
It's  mighty  thoughtful  for  them  thet  gits 
the  hoar  din's.  I  knew  a  woman  onct  thet 
uster  drink  her  tea  outer  an  old  cracked 
chiny  cup,  though  she  hed  a  beautiful  tea 


48  MINT  JULEP 

set  in  her  closet  thet  she  was  hoardin'. 
When  she  died,  her  niece,  Lyddy  Deane, 
got  it  an'  she  uster  show  it  to  folks,  an' 
they  uster  say  my!  ain't  it  beautiful,  an' 
all  thet,  an'  there  they  was  a  praisin'  thet 
chiny  tea  set,  but  not  one  word  f er  the  old 
lady  that  hoarded  it  all  them  years. 

;'  When  I  die,  nobody's  goin'  to  praise 
my  chiny  more'n  they  praise  me,  not  if  I 
know  it  —  though  there  might  be  some- 
thin'  in  what  Lyddy  said  to  me  onct: 
'  Do  you  know,  Araminty,'  says  she, 
'  every  time  I  look  at  thet  chiny,  I  think 
of  thet  dear  old  soul,  an'  I'm  sure  she 
still  takes  an  intrust  in  it.  Sometimes,' 
says  she,  *  when  I'm  settin'  alone  an'  pour- 
in'  tea,  I  see  her  kind  old  face  a  smilin' 
at  me  opposite,  an'  she's  sippin'  her  tea 
outer  thet  little  rose  cup.' 

"  Lyddy  was  an  awful  sweet  gal  an' 
I'm  glad  she  got  thet  rose  chiny,  but  I  bed 
my  doubts  about  the  old  lady  a  drinkin' 
outer  it." 

"  Oh !  I  never  could  do  it,"  said  Molly. 
"  There  are  some  things  I  couldn't  give 


BELLA'S  DIARY  49 

away,  there's  Cleopatra,  green,  gauzy,  and 
alluring,  I  wore  it  two  years  ago,  but  I 
simply  couldn't  give  Cleopatra  away. 
And  there's  the  Dawn,  soft,  uncertain,  pale 
as  gray  sea  mist.  I  love  the  Dawn,  Mrs. 
Julep,  though  I  wore  it  ever  so  long  ago. 
Why!  I  have  The  Maiden's  Prayer  put 
away  in  lavender;  I  name  all  my  gowns 
and  The  Maiden's  Prayer  was  my  gradu 
ating  dress.  Oh!  Mrs.  Julep,  I'm  a  ro 
mancer,  I  fear." 

"  Well,  you  are  romancin'  to  name  your 
old  gowns  sech  hifalutin'  names,  but  I 
dunno  as  you're  a  patch  on  Bella  Ball. 

"  Bella  was  the  most  romancin'  gal  I 
ever  see  —  Why,  anything  thet  grew  hair 
on  the  upper  lip  sent  little  shivers  down 
Bella's  back. 

"  I  remember  onct,  me  an*  Bella  was 
mere  gals  at  the  time,  an  we  went  up  one 
day  to  Hitchcock's  farm,  to  git  fresh  eggs, 
an'  we  found  a  new  man  to  wait  on  us  up 
there;  Stillman  B.  Wickford,  fresh  from 
Maine;  an'  like  all  the  folks  I  ever  see 
from  there,  he  warn't  hidin'  his  lights. 


50  MINT  JULEP, 

:<  Well,  we  talked  casiel  like,  about  crops 
an'  weather,  an'  when  we  was  a  goin'  Bella 
looks  back  over  my  shoulder,  an',  says  she, 
real  sweet,  '  O-ra-ver,  Mister  Wickford,' 
thet's  the  f urrin  f er  good  day.  Well,  the 
very  next  day  she  got  a  letter  from  Still- 
man  B.,  saying  as  how  her  image  hed 
been  constant  in  his  heart  an'  askin'  her  to 
appint  a  time  an'  place  of  meetin'.  Well, 
Bella  had  like  to  die  a  laffin';  'twas  her 
first  love  letter,  an'  mebbe  'twas  the  last, 
'cause  Henery  Ball  was  stronger  on 
greese  than  he  was  on  paper,  not  but  what 
he  could  reed  an'  write  some. 

"  'Tenny  rate,  I  talked  Bella  outer 
meetin'  a  clandestin  man,  so  she  didn't 
take  no  notice,  though  her  vanity  was 
tickled,  you  can  bet. 

"  Well,  'bout  a  week  later  we  both  went 
agin  to  buy  more  eggs.  We  reeched 
Hitchcock's  big  kitchen  an'  I  know 
Bella's  heart  was  goin'  pitty  pat,  an'  when 
we  knocked  some  one  said  come  in,  an'  in 
we  stept,  an'  there  sat  Stillman  B.  a  wash- 
in'  his  feet  in  a  tub  of  water. 


BELLA'S  DIARY  51 

"  She  turned  her  back  on  him  an'  looked 
outer  the  winder,  but  I  could  see  him  from 
the  corner  of  my  eye,  mop  his  extremes 
as  unconsarned  as  if  he  was  a  curryin'  a 
hoss,  an'  when  he  gits  good  an'  ready  he 
gits  up  an'  git  us  the  eggs.  But,  law,  Miss 
Burt,  do  you  think  thet  cured  Bella? 
Bless  you,  no.  She  asked  me  on  the  way 
home  if  he  warn't  hansom  an'  bold,  an'  I 
allowed  as  he  certainly  bed  courage  to 
wash  in  publick. 

"  I  uster  think  Bella  would  loose  her 
romancin'  when  she  lost  her  waist  line; 
most  women  do,  but  she  never  did.  Some 
females  'ud  see  a  romance  in  a  wooden 
post  if  there  was  a  man's  coat  hangin'  on  it. 

"  An'  now  I  must  quit  talkin',  and  see 
about  gittin'  my  dinner  on." 


CHAPTER  IX 

BERNHARDT  AND  UNCLE  TOM^S  CABIN  - 

DEER  AN  WELL  BELOVID  HUSBEND: 
I  was  glad  to  git  your  letter, 
though  I  will  say  I'd  be  ashamed 
to  write  sech  a  short  one,  even  to  a  under 
taker. 

But  I  know  your  failin  William,  an 
you  cant  write  cause  writin  is  only  talk- 
in  on  paper. 

Well,  me  an  Miss  Burt  are  gittin  reel 
soshiable,  though  I  havent  yit  found  out 
a  inklin  of  the  mistery.  The  other  day 
she  says  to  me,  says  she,  what  a  busy 
woman  you  are,  Mis  Julep;  time  never 
hangs  heavy  on  your  hands,  does  it?  No, 
you  bet  it  dont,  says  I;  some  folks  has  so 
much  time  they  dont  know  what  to  do 
with  theirselves,  an  others  has  so  little 
thet  they  never  git  a  chanct  to  set  down  an 
52 


UNCLE  TOM'S  CABIN       53 

git  reel  well  acquainted  with  theirselves. 
I  sometimes  think  if  I  hed  a  chanct  to  set 
down  an'  git  reel  well  acquainted  with 
Araminta  Julep,  I  might  find  something 
interestin  to  her  besides  washin,  churnin, 
bakin,  an  mendin.  As  it  is,  she's  sech  a 
rushin,  crushin,  disapintin  critter  I  cant 
abide  her,  an  I  often  wished  I  could  a  done 
somethin  of  some  account.  O,  you 
musent  say  that,  says  miss  Burt,  think 
what  a  splendid  usefull  life  you  live,  says 
she,  workin  an'  thinkin  an'  plannin  for 
others.  Thet  may  be  says  I  but  Ive  hed 
longings  all  my  life  to  do  somethin  big 
ger  an  better.  I  aint  done  them  an  we 
dont  git  credit  jest  fer  the  longings. 
Well  I'm  not  so  sure  of  thet,  says  miss 
Molly,  an  then  she  says  in  her  prettiest 
way,  says  she, 

All  I  could  never  be 
All  men  ignored  in  me, 
This  I  was  worth  to  God. 

I  thought  it  was  so  nice  an  poetkal 
like,  thet  I  asked  her  if  she'd  jest  as  soon 


54  MINT  JULEP 

put  it  down  on  paper  fer  me.  I  have 
allus  liked  poetkal  things  though  I  never 
hed  a  chanct  to  do  much  in  thet  line. 

Night  before  last  miss  Burt  invited  me 
to  a  sing  in  a  big  hall.  It  was  nice,  but 
the  women  dident  speak  plain  I  couldent 
understand  one  word.  I  was  jest  longin 
fer  some  one  to  come  out  an  sing  home, 
sweet  home,  or  old  oaken  buckit.  I  was 
jest  wishin  we  was  at  the  show.  How  I 
love  a  show,  though  I  never  go  —  but  I  see 
a  great  actress  once,  her  name  was  Sary 
somethin.  I  was  at  the  perfessers  at 
the  time  an  a  gentleman  what  uster  come 
there  gave  me  a  ticket  an  I  went  an  I'll 
never  for  git  it  to  my  dyin  day;  it  was 
grand.  The  name  of  the  show  was  Frow- 
Frow;  thets  furrin  for  two  wives.  I 
dont  know  what  twas  all  about  cause 
she  was  a  furriner,  but  I  took  it  she  was 
a  decent  sort  but  the  rest  was  jest  mor 
mons  an  wuss.  But  she  hed  a  voice  thet 
sent  little  thrills  up  an  down  yer  marrer, 
an  I  set  on  the  edge  of  my  chair  holdin 
my  breath  most  of  the  time. 


Well  tenny  rate  I  guess  she'd  been 
flyin  round  hevin  a  good  time,  an  her 
constitootion  wouldent  stand  it  so  the 
poor  thing  tuk  to  her  bed  at  last.  I  knew 
in  a  minit  what  ailed  thet  woman,  an  the 
more  I  looked  at  her  the  wuss  I  felt,  an  I 
says  to  the  woman  settin  next  to  me,  says 
I,  if  some  one  would  only  tell  her  to  take 
some  camomile  tea,  a  good  dose  of  camo 
mile  tea,  she'd  be  outer  thet  bed  in  no  time, 
says  I. 

Well  thet  woman  whispered  it  to  the 
man  settin  alongside  of  her,  an  he  said 
he'd  tell  her  soon  as  the  show  was  over,  but 
do  you  know  them  unfeelin  folks  sot 
there  an  jest  clapt  an  shouted  till  thet 
poor  thing  hed  to  git  outer  thet  sick  bed, 
an  drag  herself  fore  the  curtain  an  told 
them  she  was  much  obliged  an  feelin 
better  when  all  the  time  she  looked  as 
white  an  wasted  as  a  wilted  calla.  I  was 
jest  thet  mad  I  felt  spiteful  gainst  the 
hull  crowd. 

Thet  was  the  only  time  I  was  ever  in 
a  reel  play  house,  though  there  was  onct 


56  MINT  JULEP 

in  our  town  a  compny  thet  played  Uncle 
Toms  Cabin,  but  it  warnt  a  success. 
Hicks  Bosworth  got  mad  at  a  black  whis 
kered  feller  struttin  round  in  cow  hide 
boots  flourishin  a  whip.  Hicks  stud 
right  up  in  the  show  an  offered  to  lick 
him.  It  made  an  awful  commotion,  but 
Hicks  was  six  foot  one  in  his  socks,  an 
when  the  boys  began  to  urge  him  on  an 
throw  things  at  the  actor  folks,  they  rung 
down  thet  curtain  an  the  show  sneaked 
outer  town  thet  night,  but  old  Si  Banks 
what  kept  the  hotel  said  they  was  awful 
mad  an  they  left  a  big  notice  over  the 
door  of  the  town  hall  in  red  paint;  it  said 
somethin  like  this:  If  Hicks  Bosworth 
would  stand  up  before  a  baby  jackass, 
we'll  back  the  jackass  fer  the  brains  an 
blows,  an  a  whole  lot  more.  I  guess 
every  one  of  them  gave  us  a  dig. 

They  called  us  puddin  heads,  an  pie 
eaters  an  it  riled  up  Hicks  so  he  found 
out  where  they  was  playin  two  nights 
after  an  he  sent  a  notice  an  paid  a  man 
to  reed  it  right  out  loud  in  the  show  thet 


UNCLE  TOM'S  CABIN       57 

said, —  Hicks  Bosworth  of  Farnham  is 
willin  an  anxsious  to  meet  the  Jackass  of 
this  show,  an  Hicks  would  like  to  borrer 
the  weapon  the  aforesaid  jackass  carries 
around  thets  commonly  used  on  his  kind. 

They  said  it  spoiled  the  show  in  thet 
town  too.  Folks  dident  allus  approve  of 
Hicks.  He  was  like  a  overheeted  fur- 
nase,  ready  to  bust  any  minnit.  But  what 
made  him  so  mad  at  thet  play  acter  was 
cause  Susie  Hobbs  was  a  settin  right  down 
in  the  front  row  an  he  thot  the  black  whis 
kered  feller  was  showin  off  an  thro  win 
glances  at  her  but  if  he  was,  Susie  was 
willin  to  ketch  all  thet  was  comin  her 
way  an  return  them  with  intrust.  We  all 
knowed  Susie,  all  but  poor  Hicks,  an  he 
found  her  out  but  not  before  she  spiled  a 
good  mans  life. 

I  hate  a  flirt,  there  the  meanest  kind  of 
a  theif,  cause  they  often  steel  what  cant 
be  replaced.  Susie  thot  all  men  livin  was 
made  to  be  the  victim  of  her  wiles  an 
graces.  Now  Bella  Ball  was  diffrent. 
She  thot  all  men  jest  lovely,  an  among 


58  MINT  JULEP 

the  crowd  was  one  pertickler,  made  a  pur 
pose  for  her,  so  she  was  awful  nice  to  all 
for  fear  of  missin  her  pertickler.  I  cant 
think  of  no  more  at  present,  but  rite  soon 
to  your  own 

MINT  JULEP. 
P.  i.  1. 

Tommy  is  learnin  to  teeter  beautifull 
on  thet  trumpet. 


CHAPTER  X 

THE  BERUBA  PLANTATION    COMPANY 

WINTOP 

DEER  WILLIAM 
I  was  reel  glad  to  see  you  an 
swered  my  last  so  quick. 
We  are  all  well,  though  the  twins  cant 
sit   down   without    pain   in   consequence 
of  slidin  down  McPeaks  cellar  door  thet 
hed  a  small  nail  inwisible.     And  this  re 
minds  me  thet  poor  mis  McPeak  is  worrit- 
in  awful  about  thet  money  she  put  in  the 
Beruba  Plantation  company. 

The  company  dont  pay  a  cent  of  devi- 
dends  now,  an  she's  afraid  shell  lose  her 
money,  an  wuss  nor  all,  she's  afraid  Scotty 
will  find  it  out.  She  said  she  wished  she 
knowed  a  good  honest  lawyer  to  put  the 
case  in  his  hands  but  she  dident  know 
one.  She  says  honest  lawyers  aint  so 
59 


60  MINT  JULEP 

plenty,  an  I  told  her  I  dident  know  any 
seein  as  I  was  a  stranger  in  these  parts 
but  I'd  ask  miss  Burt  if  she  might  know 
one.  Well  William  it  do  beet  all  but 
thet  gal  jest  blushed  like  a  biled  beet  when 
I  ast  her  an  says  she,  yes,  I  know  one 
both  honest  and  clever,  an  then  I  ast  her 
his  name  an  address.  Twas  Mister  Jere 
miah  Storey,  but  when  I  said  I'd  tell  miss 
McPeak  to  go  strait  to  him  she  said  O 
please  dont,  blushin  more  an  more. 
Well  I  was  so  supprised  I  jest  looked  at 
her  an  I  says,  I  understand  miss  Burt, 
says  I,  thet  mister  Jeremiah  is  a  good 
honest  lawyer  but  no  dout  you  hev  a  good 
reeson  fer  not  wantin  him  to  help  poor 
miss  McPeak.  Then  she  says,  no  I  hev 
no  reeson  at  all,  tell  your  neighber  thet 
she  can  trust  him  above  all  men.  Well 
now  William  aint  thet  the  most  peeculiar 
thing  you  ever  herd  tell  of.  Am  I  get- 
tin  on  the  track  of  the  mistery?  What 
has  this  lawyer  feller  got  to  do  with  Molly 
Burt?  That  is  what  is  puzzlin  me. 

Tenny  rate  misses  McPeak  is  goin  to 


PLANTATION  COMPANY      61 

see  him  an  ask  him  a  few  questions  about 
if  he  thinks  we  can  git  our  money  back 
outer  thet  Beruba  Plantation,  cause  she's 
most  worriet  herself  inter  a  sick  bed. 
Your  own 

MINT  JULEP. 

P.   i.   1. —  Tommy  is   learnin  to  play 
home  sweet  home  on  the  trumpit. 


CHAPTER  XI 

SCOTTY  DISCOVERS  HIS  LOSS 

IT  was  Saturday  afternoon.     A  knock 
on  the  kitchen  door  made  Mrs.  Julep 
pause  in  the  midst  of  her  scrubbing, 
but  before  she  could  get  to  her  feet,  the 
door  opened  and  Mrs.  McPeak  appeared. 
One  glance  at  her  neighbor  showed  Mrs. 
Julep   that   something  was   amiss.     The 
woman's  eyes  were  swollen  and  red  from 
weeping,  and  she  stood  hesitatingly  in  the 
doorway,  clutching  her  gingham  apron. 

"  Why,  what  on  earth's  the  matter? 
What's  troublin'  yer?  Set  down,  woman, 
dear,"  said  Mint,  but  so  astonished  that 
she  made  no  attempt  to  arise  from  her 
knees. 

"  Oh!  Mrs.  Julep,"  moaned  the  little 
woman,  dropping  listlessly  into  a  chair, 
and  covering  her  eyes  with  her  small, 
62 


SCOTTY'S  DISCOVERY      63 

plump  hands,  "I've  lost  the  money,  I've 
lost  the  money,  an'  Scotty  '11  kill  me." 

"  He'll  do  nothin'  of  the  sort,"  declared 
Mrs.  Julep,  sitting  back  on  her  heels. 

"Oh!  yer  don't  know  Scotty,  Mrs. 
Julep;  he's  a  good  man,  but  he's  got  an 
awfu'  temper,  an'  he's  close;  Scotty's  aw- 
f u'  close,  an'  it'll  make  him  fair  wild  when 
he  finds  out  the  money's  gone.  Oh,  what 
shall  I  say  to  Scotty?  " 

The  tears  started  afresh  and  trickled 
down  the  poor  tear-stained  cheeks,  while 
she  tried  to  wipe  them  away  with  the  cor 
ner  of  her  apron. 

"  Well,  neighbor,  don't  loose  courage 
like  that ;  it  can't  be  as  bad  as  you  think." 

"  It  could  na  be  worse,  Mrs.  Julep. 
It  was  all  a  swindlin'  scheme  ter  get 
money  from  simple  folk  that  trusted  'em 
and  had  faith  in  'em,  and  I  believed  every 
word  that  man  Feather  told  me  about  that 
plantation. 

"  Didn't  he  tell  me  I  could  go  down  and 
see  it  for  mysel',  and  when  the  first  money 
came  in  the  letter,  that  was  the  devidend 


64  MINT  JULEP 

on  what  I  had  paid  in,  I  was  that  pleased 
I  came  near  tellin'  Scotty,  and  I  wish  I 
had,  'cause  then  he'd  know  somethin'  about 
it;  but  now  to  hear  it  all  at  once  '11  make 
him  fair  wild.  Oh!  what  shall  I  say  to 
Scotty!" 

:'  Well,  are  you  sure  that  the  money's 
gone,  Mrs.  McPeak? " 

"  Oh!  yes,  on  the  advice  of  the  lawyer, 
Mr.  Storey,  I  took  a  car  and  went  down 
to  the  place  this  mornin'  and  I  found  lots 
of  others,  men  and  women,  askin'  f  er  their 
money,  but  they  won't  give  us  back  a  cent. 
They  said  as  how  nothin'  can  be  done  un 
til  the  directors  has  a  meetin',  but  it's  not 
much  good  that'll  do  us,  I  fear." 

;<  Well,  Mrs.  McPeak,  them  directors  is 
mighty  smart  men,  and  no  knowing  but 
they  may  be  able  to  do  something  fer  the 
poor  people  as  trusted  in  'em.  While 
there's  life  in  our  bodies,  there's  hope  in 
our  hearts,  and  it  mayn't  be  as  bad  as  it 
seems." 

"  Oh!  dear,  dear,  to  think  of  me  puttin' 
..Scotty's  hard-earned  money  into  sech  a 


SCOTTY'S  DISCOVERY     65 

wild-cat  scheme.  Oh,  what  shall  I  say  to 
him!  The  devidend  they  sent  out  in  the 
letter  was  jest  a  trick  ter  make  folks  think 
they'd  be  gettin'  more  if  they'd  buy  more. 
I  see  it  all  now.  Oh!  what  shall  I  say  to 
Scotty?  I  dare  na  face  him  after  throw- 
in'  away  his  good  money  in  sech  a  foolish 
thing;  he'll  kill  me.  Scotty '11  kill  me." 

"He'll  do  nothin'  of  the  sort,  I  tell 
yer,"  said  Mint,  who  had  been  unusually 
quiet  during  the  woman's  outburst. 

'  You  must  spunk  up  a  bit  and  we'll  see 
what  can  be  done.  Now,  first  of  all,  how 
much  money  did  you  put  inter  this  Beruba 
business? " 

'  Three  hundred  dollars;  that  was  two 
shares,"  said  Mrs.  McPeak,  who  was 
calmer  now  that  she  was  talking  it  over. 

;'  Three  hundred  dollars,"  repeated 
Mint.  "  My  lands,  that's  an  awful  lot  of 
money!  My  case  ain't  near  so  bad.  I 
took  one  of  them  shares,  but  I've  only  paid 
in  fifty-five  dollars  on  it;  but  that's  jest 
fifty-five  dollars  more  than  I  can  afford 
to  lose.  But  three  hundred!  It's  a  heap 


66  MINT  JULEP 

of  money,  there's  no  denyin'  of  that." 
"  It  is,  it  is,"  and  once  more  the  voice 
was  shaking  with  sobs.  "  Scotty  gives  me 
every  cent  to  save,  and  I  keep  it  in  a  little 
place  in  the  bottom  of  my  trunk ;  he  don't 
trust  no  banks,  and  he's  been  savin'  till 
he'd  have  enough  some  day  to  buy  a  piece 
of  land.  Oh,  my!  Oh,  my!  Many's  the 
time  we've  talked  it  over  and  he  told  me 
that  when  we  had  enough  to  buy  the  land 
outright  he  was  goin'  to  raise  a  mortgage 
and  build  a  house.  And  I've  lain  awake 
nights  thinkin'  how  pleased  he'd  be  when 
he  see  the  extry  money  I'd  made  by  my 
investment;  but  now  I  canna  face  him. 
I'd  rather  die!  Oh!  I  could  ha'  thrown 
mysel'  in  the  river,  I  was  that  heart  broke 
this  mornin'.  What  shall  I  do  and  what 
shall  I  say  to  Scotty ! " 

'  Well,  three  hundred  dollars  is  an  aw 
ful  lot  of  money,  I  admit,  Mrs.  McPeak, 
but  a  good  wife's  worth  more'n  that,  and 
what  you  did,  you  done  fer  the  best,  same 
as  me ;  we'll  make  an  awful  plucky  fight  to 
git  our  money  back,  but  if  it's  gone  and 


SCOTTY'S  DISCOVERY      67 

we  can't  git  it  back,  then  say  I,  let  it  go 
and  be  thankful  it's  no  wuss." 

"  Ohl  but  Scotty,  Mrs.  Julep;  ye  dinna 
know  Scotty.  He'll  nay  listen  to  any  ex 
cuse  when  he  finds  his  good  money's  gone. 
I  dare  na  face  him.  Oh,  Mrs.  Julep,  what 
shall  I  do,  what  shall  I  do!  "  and  Mrs.  Mc- 
Peak  rocked  back  and  forth  in  the  extrem 
ity  of  her  woe  and  looked  beseechingly  at 
the  woman  on  her  heels  before  her. 

Mrs.  Julep  looked  thoughtfully  at  the 
pail  of  suds  by  her  side;  she  realized  that 
something  must  be  done  to  help  this  un 
happy  woman,  although  she  could  not  un 
derstand  the  fear  and  dread  that  Mrs.  Mc- 
Peak  had  of  telling  her  husband  about  the 
loss  of  the  money. 

Giving  two  spots  in  front  of  the  sink 
a  vigorous  scrub,  she  threw  the  brush  on 
the  little  shelf  above  and  proceeded  to 
wring  out  her  floor-cloth;  she  wiped  this 
last  portion  of  the  floor  quickly,  and  then, 
jumping  to  her  feet,  stood  with  hands  on 
her  hips  and  leaned  against  the  old-fash 
ioned  sink. 


68  MINT  JULEP 

"  Well,  Mrs.  McPeak,  I  suppose  every 
body  on  this  green  earth  sometime  is  bound 
to  lose  good  money  in  a  bad  venture.  I 
met  my  shoe-string  man  and  you've  met 
yourn.  However,  I  believe  you  can  git 
inspiration  from  soap  suds  if  you're  look- 
in'  fer  it,  and  right  now  in  that  very  pail 
of  suds  I've  jest  seen  a  way  that  I  can  help 
you  out  of  this." 

"  Oh!  Mrs.  Julep,  ye  canna  help  me  get 
the  money,  and  it's  nothin'  less  would  sat 
isfy  Scotty.  Oh,  what  shall  I  say  to  him, 
what  shall  — " 

"  You'll  say  nothin'  to  him,"  interrupted 
Mint.  "I'll  see  Scotty  McPeak  when  he 
comes  home  to-night  and  I'll  tell  him  what 
he  ought  ter  know." 

Mrs.  McPeak  shook  her  head  sadly  at 
this  suggestion,  but  Mint  was  now  thor 
oughly  warmed  up  to  the  new  role  she  was 
about  to  take  upon  herself,  and  continued : 

;'  When  your  husband  comes  home  to 
his  nice  comfortable  house  to-night,  to  have 
his  nice  warm  supper,  he'll  be  dissapinted 
fer  the  first  time  in  his  life ;  and  instid  of  a 


SCOTTY'S  DISCOVERY      69 

lovin'  wife  ter  meet  him,  he'll  find  it 
empty ;  leastwise  it  shall  be  empty  'till  I  go 
over  there  and  set  him  thinkin'  on  the  right 
track." 

"  Now,  Mrs.  McPeak,  is  there  any  thing- 
special  your  man  likes  fer  tea?  " 

Mrs.  McPeak  looked  blankly  at  her  re 
sourceful  neighbor,  a  bewildered  expres 
sion  in  her  mild,  blue  eyes. 

"  He  has  a  sweet  tooth,  has  Scotty;  I've 
known  him  to  eat  scones  and  jam  wi'  a 
boy's  relish." 

'  Then  it's  scones  and  jam  fer  tea  to 
night,  Mrs.  McPeak,  and  you  go  right 
ahead  and  make  the  scones,  and  I'll  bring 
McPeak  back  with  me  fer  company  to  tea. 
Don't  you  stir  outer  this  house  till  he  takes 
yer,  and  don't  yer  cry  any  more  over  that 
money;  let  it  go.  You've  got  ter  mind 
Ham  and  Eg  while  I'm  gittin'  McPeak, 
and  them  twins  '11  keep  you  from  broodin' 
overmuch  on  yer  trouble  jest  now." 

Mrs.  Julep  started  for  the  door  lead 
ing  into  the  back  hall,  and  turning  saw 
that  Mrs.  McPeak  had  not  changed  her 


70  MINT  JULEP 

position  and  had  made  no  attempt  to  put 
into  practise  Mint's  plan  of  softening 
Scotty's  heart. 

"  Come,  now,  stir  yourself,  Mrs.  Mc- 
Peak,  and  you  leave  this  thing  to  me;  I've 
tackled  worse  than  your  Scotty,  and  when 
he  finds  you've  got  his  favorite  dish  fer 
tea,  it'll  make  him  feel  so  good  he  won't 
mind  the  old  money.  Now,  you  start  in 
this  minute  and  make  the  scones;  lucky 
I've  got  a  bit  of  jam  left  that  old  Mother 
Allum  sent  me  last  fall ;  she'll  never  put  up 
no  more  jam,  poor  old  lady,  though  'twas 
good  enough  to  tempt  the  saints  she's 
jined  in  heaven.  You  can  give  the  twins 
their  supper  if  I  ain't  back  —  a  bowl  of 
bread  and  milk  is  all  Gresham  and  Egre- 
mont  git,  and  then  they  go  straight  ter 
bed.  If  they  holler,  let  'em  go  it,  only 
take  a  peep  now  and  then  ter  see  that 
stranglation  don't  set  in." 

Mint  washed  and  dried  her  hands 
quickly,  and  as  Mrs.  McPeak  still  re 
mained  in  the  chair,  the  energetic  Mint 
bustled  into  the  pantry,  brought  out  flour 


SCOTTY'S  DISCOVERY      71 

and  butter,  which  she  placed  on  the  kitchen 
table,  hoping  thus  to  get  Mrs.  McPeak 
started  on  the  scones  and  likewise  divert 
her  mind  from  her  great  trouble. 

"  Now,  I  won't  have  any  more'n  time  to 
git  ready,  and  you  can  go  right  ahead 
and  make  them  scones,  fer  I'm  goin'  ter 
bring  company  back  to  tea,  and  — " 

"  Nay,  nay,  Mrs.  Julep,"  interrupted 
the  woman,  "I'm  not  sa  sure  that  ye'll 
bring  the  mon  from  his  own  house;  he's 
that  set  about  things,  it's  awfu',"  and  the 
tears  started  again. 

;'  There,  now,  don't  think  about  it  any 
more;  if  you  watch  them  twins  of  mine, 
takin'  chances  ter  maim  theirselves  fer  life, 
four  minutes  outer  five,  you  won't  be 
broodin'  on  yer  trouble.  I'll  run  upstairs 
and  jest  slip  my  black  skirt  over  this,  then 
I'm  ready.  There  ain't  much  of  the  faint 
heart,  nor  likewise  the  fair  lady  about 


me." 


Mint  rushed  upstairs  and  in  a  few  min 
utes  returned  to  the  kitchen  to  find  Mrs. 
McPeak  standing  on  tiptoe,  peaking  out 


72  MINT  JULEP 

of  the  window,  while  behind  her  the  twins 
were  playing  soldier,  marching  up  and 
down  the  room,  with  the  pan  of  dough  for 
a  drum. 

"  I've  been  watching  for  Scotty,"  whis 
pered  the  little  woman;  "  it's  most  time  he 
was  comin';  he  gets  home  earlier  on  Sat 
urdays.  There  he  is,  there  he  is,  jest  gone 
in  the  door.' 

"  Oh,  Mrs.  Julep,  I'm  af eared ;  you're 
meanin'  well,  but  it's  not  the  thing  wi' 
Scotty.  It'll  make  him  madder  to  know 
that  ye  know  it.  Oh!  dinna  ye  go,  Mrs. 
Julep ;  I'm  af  eared  of  Scotty." 

All  the  woman's  fears  returned  with  a 
rush  when  she  caught  sight  of  the  redoubt 
able  McPeak  entering  the  seclusion  of  his 
own  door.  She  sank  into  a  chair  and 
wept,  clasping  and  unclasping  her  hands, 
the  very  picture  of  despair. 

Mrs.  Julep  put  on  her  bonnet  and  shawl 
hastily,  and  bidding  the  woman  to  "  spunk 
up  "  and  watch  the  twins  and  make  the 
scones,  she  departed. 

In  answer  to  Mrs.  Julep's  short  knock, 


SCOTTY'S  DISCOVERY      73 

McPeak  presently  appeared,  looking  any 
thing  but  pleased  at  the  sight  of  his  visi 
tor.  He  returned  her  pleasant  greeting 
sullenly  and  held  the  door,  waiting  for  her 
to  tell  her  errand  and  depart. 

"  I  want  ter  come  in  a  minute,  Mr.  Mc 
Peak  ;  I  hev  somethin'  ter  tell  yer'  bout  yer 
wife." 

She  swept  past  him  into  the  neat  little 
kitchen  and  opening  her  bonnet  strings, 
dropped  into  a  chair. 

The  man  closed  the  door  and  turned  to 
her  in  silence. 

"I'm  awful  sorry  fer  you,  McPeak,  but 
I  didn't  come  here  to  offer  sympathy." 

"  Is  —  is  onything  wrong  wi'  Jennie?  " 

Mrs.  Julep  tightened  her  lips  and  bowed 
her  head. 

"  Somethin'  is  wrong  with  your  wife, 
Mr.  McPeak  —  everything's  wrong  with 
her." 

"Gord!  hes  there  been  a  accident  —  is 
she  hurtit  —  is  she  dead  —  speak  up, 
woman,  where's  Jennie?" 

"  She's  not  dead  nor  hurt  the  way  you 


74  MINT  JULEP 

mean  —  she's  alive  and  well ;  her  body's 
all  right,  but  her  head,  Mr.  McPeak;  her 
head!  Oh!  that  poor  woman's  head!  " 

:'  What's  the  matter  wi'  her  head  —  hes 
she  gone  daffy?  Gord!  you  set  there 
blabbin'  'bout  her  head  as  if  'twas  a  bloom- 
in'  punk  she'd  dropped  on  the  rod  side; 
what's  ailin'  her,  woman?  " 

If  Mint  was  at  all  cast  down  by  the 
testy  Scot,  she  did  not  show  it  in  word  or 
look. 

"  See  here,  Mr.  McPeak,  I've  come  ter 
prepare  yer  for  a  terrible  loss,  but  I'll  not 
say  a  word  till  yer  tell  me  what  yer  wife's 
wuth;  how  much  is  she  wuth  ter  you  in 
dollars  and  cents  —  jest  tell  me  that." 

For  a  moment  Scotty  regarded  the 
woman  suspiciously;  she  had  always  had 
too  glib  a  tongue  to  suit  him.  But  now 
he  began  to  entertain  doubts  as  to  her 
sanity. 

He  edged  a  little  nearer  the  door,  and 
put  his  hand  on  the  knob.  Scotty  was 
cautious,  and  he  wasn't  going  to  take  any 
chances.  Mint  saw  the  movement,  and 


SCOTTY'S  DISCOVERY      75 

the  meaning  of  his  act  flashed  upon  her. 

"  Scotty  McPeak,  I'm  not  crazy;  I'm 
usin'  sech  brains  as  the  Lord  gave  me  fer 
a  purpose.  You  may  have  more'n  me,  but 
no  one's  found  it  out  yit.  You  tell  me 
what  your  wife  is  wuth  to  you  in  cash, 
and  I'll  tell  you  what  yer  ought  ter 
know." 

"  Why,  dom  it,  woman,  a  mon  don't 
value  his  wife  like  thot  —  ha'  ye  gone  daft 
that  ye  ask  sich  a  question?" 

"  McPeak,  you're  right  —  you've  got  a 
good  wife,  and,  as  the  Bible  says,  her  price 
is  above  rubies ;  so  yer  can't  put  a  value  on 
her  in  dollars  and  cents,  can  yer?  A  good 
honest,  sober,  industrious  woman  that 
thinks,  and  plans  and  saves  fer  you  every 
day  o'  her  life,  and  everything  she  does, 
Mr.  McPeak,  she  does  fer  the  best,  don't 
for  git  that;  when  she  saves  yer  money, 
she  saves  it  fer  the  best,  and  if  she  lost 
it,  she  lost  it  fer  the  best.  What  good, 
say  I,  would  a  few  hundred  dollars  be  ter 
you  if  Jennie  was  sick  or  sore,  or  wuss, 
laid  away  fer  ever  more.  'T would  be  a 


76  MINT  JULEP 

long  time  'fore  you'd  find  another  as  good. 
There's  lots  of  females  in  the  world,  Mr. 
McPeak;  swarms  of  them,  but  when  you 
meet  a  woman,  it's  some  different.  Jennie 
did  everything  for  the  best,  and  when  she 
invested  that  three  hundred  dollars,  she 
thot  'twas  fer  the  best." 

McPeak  had  listened  to  this  onslaught 
in  sullen  silence,  but  at  the  mention  of  the 
money  he  made  a  wild  rush  for  the  back 
room  with  such  a  look  of  ferocity  that 
Mint  arose  and,  keeping  one  eye  on  him, 
slowly  backed  to  the  door. 

In  a  flash  he  had  unlocked  and  slammed 
open  the  treasure  house,  only  to  find  the 
money  gone ! 

With  an  oath  the  man  turned  and  faced 
Mrs.  Julep. 

'  What  has  she  done  wi'  my  money?  "  he 
shouted,  shaking  his  fist  in  her  face;  "  no 
more  o'  yer  domned  blabbin',  but  tell  me 
thot." 

He  looked  so  fierce  that  for  the  first 
time  in  her  life  Mint  Julep  cowed  percep 
tibly,  but  it  was  only  for  a  moment;  then 


tarn 


"Your  wife  HHH   lost  every  cent  of  that  money" 


Pa*e  77 


SCOTTY'S  DISCOVERY     77 

she  said  pluckily,  her  hand  on  the  door 
knob: 

'  Your  wife  has  lost  every  cent  of  that 
money.  It  was  jest  as  much  hers  as  it  was 
yours,  and  more  —  and  she's  sufFerin' 
from  the  loss  of  it  more'n  you,  for  she's 
thinkin'  o'  someone  else,  but  you're  only 
thinkin'  of  yourself,  and  you  deserve  to 
lose  more  than  that,  f er  you  don't  deserve 
a  good  wife.  You're  a  brute!" 

Mint  opened  the  door  and  stepped  out 
quickly,  when  an  idea  flashed  into  her 
head,  and  although  her  heart  was  beating 
wildly,  she  popped  her  head  inside  again. 

'  Your  wife  was  so  heart-broke  this 
mornin'  she  said  she  hed  a  mind  ter  throw 
herself  in  the  river,  and  yer  better  go  down 
there  and  see  if  yer  can't  git  her  back  for 
the  sake  o'  takin'  that  miserable  three  hun 
dred  dollars  outer  her  bones." 

Then  Mrs.  Julep  gathered  herself  to 
gether  and  marched  off  with  head  erect. 

She  hurried  along  to  her  own  cottage, 
and  on  opening  the  door  found  Mrs.  Mc- 
Peak  on  the  verge  of  collapse. 


78  MINT  JULEP 

"  I  guess  after  all  we  won't  hev  our 
company  ter  tea,  Mrs.  McPeak.  Scotty's 
onlike  my  William  in  lots  o'  ways,  but  let 
me  tell  you  one  thing  —  you  don't  go  near 
him,  nor  leave  this  house  till  he  conies  here 
and  begs  yer." 

For  answer  the  little  woman  buried  her 
face  in  her  gingham  apron,  crying  as  if 
her  heart  would  break. 

When  McPeak  was  alone  he  flung  him 
self  into  a  chair  and  tried  to  think.  The 
money  was  gone !  Lost !  Yes,  that  woman 
had  just  said  "  Your  wife  has  lost  every 
cent  of  that  money."  But  how?  He 
clenched  his  fists  in  impotent  rage  and 
gave  himself  up  to  every  bitter,  angry 
passion. 

"  How  could  Jennie  have  lost  all  that 
money?  I'll  wager  thot  bladgin'  woman 
had  some  hand  in  it,"  said  McPeak,  as  he 
arose  and  paced  back  and  forth  in  the  lit 
tle  room. 

For  a  long  time  bitter  anger  and  disap 
pointment  took  possession  of  his  being,  his 


SCOTTY'S  DISCOVERY      79 

mind  so  filled  with  the  loss  of  the  money 
he  could  think  of  nothing  else. 

As  the  realization  of  his  loss  grew  upon 
him  there  came  thoughts,  too,  of  his  wife ; 
what  could  Jennie  have  done  with  all  that 
money?  She  had  been  so  anxious  to  save, 
and  was  looking  forward  to  owning  a  lit 
tle  home  just  as  much  as  he,  and  still  she 
had  lost  that  money.  It  was  almost  in 
comprehensible  and  seemed  as  if  he  were 
in  the  grasp  of  a  horrible  nightmare. 

Then  visions  of  his  wife  grieving  over 
the  loss  of  it  came  to  him,  and  his  stern 
face  softened.  Other  thoughts  of  her  fol 
lowed  in  quick  succession. 

It  was  the  first  time  in  their  married  life 
that  Jennie  had  been  out  when  he  came 
home.  It  was  a  lonely,  bleak  place  with 
out  her.  He  fell  to  wondering  where  she 
could  be. 

All  at  once  Mrs.  Julep's  words  came  to 
him ;  she  had  spoken  of  the  river.  Merci 
ful  heaven!  Why  had  he  not  listened  to 
the  woman! 


80  MINT  JULEP 

He  caught  up  his  hat  and  rushed  wildly 
out  of  the  house,  while  his  wife,  weeping 
softly,  watched  him  from  behind  Mrs. 
Julep's  curtain. 

The  supper  on  the  table  "  for  the  com 
pany  "  was  untouched,  but  in  the  kitchen 
Mrs.  Julep  was  busy  giving  the  children 
"  a  bite,"  when  some  time  later  Mrs.  Mc- 
Peak  bounded  into  the  room. 

"He's  back,  he's  back.  Oh!  Mrs. 
Julep,  and  he's  comin'  here.  What  shall  I 
say  to  Scotty!" 

Mint  had  only  time  to  thrust  the  woman 
into  the  kitchen  and  shut  the  door,  when 
McPeak,  after  knocking,  walked  into  the 
little  entry  way. 

The  woman  was  touched  by  the  man's 
appearance;  all  trace  of  the  sullen  anger 
had  disappeared  from  his  face  and  a  look 
of  hopeless  misery  had  settled  there. 

"  I  want  ye  to  tell  me  aboot  Jennie,"  he 
said  quietly,  though  it  was  evident  that  the 
words  cost  him  an  effort. 

"And  I'll  do  it,  Mr.  McPeak,  if  you'll 


SCOTTY'S  DISCOVERY      81 

promise  me  that  you'll  not  say  one  word  to 
her  about  that  money." 

"  Dom  the  money  —  I  want  Jennie,"  he 
replied  doggedly. 

There  was  a  faint  squeal  behind  them 
and  the  next  minute  Jennie  had  thrown 
herself,  weeping,  into  Scotty's  arms. 

'  We'll  have  company  to  tea,  after  all," 
said  Mint. 


CHAPTER  XII 

THE  BERUBA  AGENT  SWINDLES  WIDOW 
TOBEY 

WlNTOP 

DEER  WILLIAM 
I  have  been  watin  for  you  to 
answer  my  last  letter.     You  may 
be  sick.     I  hope  so,  as  nothing  else  would 
xcuse  a  man  from  writin  to  his  wife  an 
famly. 

I  wrote  and  told  you  all  about  the  trou 
ble  poor  Mis  McPeak  was  in  an  how  I 
had  broke  the  news  to  Scotty  that  he  had 
lost  his  300  dollars.  Well  I  feel  that  I 
done  my  part  an  done  it  well. 

It  was  a  good  thing  to  remind  that  close- 
fisted  man  that  he  had  a  wife  that  was 
wuth  more  than  his  old  money.  Every 
man  who  has  got  a  good  wife  should  know 
that  her  price  is  above  rubes,  as  the  Good 
Book  says. 

82 


WIDOW  TOBEY  SWINDLED     83 

Well  I  guess  that  Scotty's  heart  is  all 
rite  an  he  thinks  a  lot  of  Jennie,  cause  I 
shall  never  forget  the  look  on  his  face 
when  he  came  into  my  entry  to  ask  me 
about  her. 

I  think  that  he  had  arrived  to  the  con- 
clushun  that  Jennie  had  committed  a  sew- 
erside,  for  you  remember  I  had  told  him 
she  was  goin  to  throw  herself  in  the  river. 
I  can  see  him  now  as  he  stood  there  askin 
me  to  tell  him,  he  looked  like  wot  a 
preacher  once  called  chaste  in  by  sorrer. 

Jennie  says  he  has  changed  some  since 
he  lost  the  money.  He  dont  give  it  to  her 
now  to  save.  He  is  puttin  it  in  the  saving 
banks  himself. 

Everybody  I  suppose  has  their  favrit 
place  to  keep  their  money.  As  for  me,  I 
have  allus  favored  my  stockin,  its  handy, 
without  bein  too  handy  an  youve  got  to  go 
kind  of  private  like  to  git  at  it  an  that 
makes  yer  careful. 

Now  William  if  you  are  sick  your  wife 
should  know  it  before  the  world  knows  it. 


84  MINT  JULEP 

Remember,  I  am  almost  anxshus  about  the 
stait  of  your  helth. 

Git  Mr.  Ogdin  to  write  a  line  if  you  are 
laid  up  William  to 

Your  lovin  wife, 
AEAMINTA  JULEP 

WINTOP 
DEER  WILLIAM 

There  seems  to  be  no  end  to  this  terrible 
Beruba  Plantation  business.  I  am  learn- 
in  of  it  at  every  side. 

Ever  sense  I  have  come  to  Wintop  to 
live  I  have  alms  traded  at  a  little  grocery 
store  here  that  is  kept  by  Mis  Tobey.  She 
is  a  widder  woman  with  seven  children. 
The  oldest  is  a  big  girl  and  the  youngest 
is  a  baby  in  arms. 

Mis  Tobey  is  a  reel  delicate  woman  an 
drags  one  foot  jest  a  little,  but  she  is  full 
of  pluck  an  has  alms  had  a  smilin  face 
till  lately. 

I  have  noticed  that  lots  of  times  when 
I  go  inter  thet  store  to  buy  she  seems  ailin 
an  kind  of  sad.  She  lives  right  back  of 


WIDOW  TOBEY  SWINDLED     85 

the  store  and  when  you  open  the  door  it 
rings  a  bell  in  the  kitchen  an  then  she 
comes.  Well,  the  other  mornin  I  wated 
an  wated  an  when  she  did  come  her  eyes 
looked  red  from  cryin  —  an  tenny  rate, 
I  got  a  talkin  with  her  bout  the  childern 
and  sympathizin  an  long  last  says  she  — 

Oh  Mis  Julep  says  she,  Im  in 
dredful  trouble,  says  she.  My  husband 
left  me  this  house  an  store  free  and  clear. 
It  made  a  livin  for  me  an  my  childern,  says 
she,  but  Ive  done  an  orful  thing.  I  in 
vested  some  money  I  had,  says  she, 
hopin  to  get  a  fortune.  An  ajent 
came  to  me  an  talked  and  talked,  an 
first  I  jest  bought  2  shares,  but  it  paid  so 
well  an  he  kept  urgin  me,  so  that  at  last 
I  morgaged  my  childern's  home,  says 
she,  and  put  the  money  into  it,  an  it  is 
not  payin  a  cent,  an  the  morgage  is  goin 
to  be  foreclosed.  O,  what  shall  I  do,  Mis 
Julep,  an  what  is  to  become  of  my  little 
childern? 

Says  I  to  her,  says  I  Mis  Tobey,  if 
it  aint  askin  too  much,  did  you  invest  your 


86  MINT  JULEP 

money  in  the  Great  Beruba  Plantation 
Company.  Well,  she  jest  bowed  her 
head  sobbin  and  sobbin. 

I  thot  so,  says  I,  an  I  done  the  same 
thing  Mis  Tobey  an  others  have  done  the 
same.  I  had  quite  a  talk  with  her  an  I 
told  her  not  to  feel  so  bad  the  Lord 
will  provide,  says  I  there  will  be  a  way 
to  help  you,  you  jest  see  if  they  dont. 
I  said  a  whole  lot  to  that  poor  worried 
woman  to  cheer  her  up  a  little  an  at  last  I 
went  home. 

O  it  is  terrible  sad  William  because 
you  see  she  has  all  those  childern  to  be 
looked  after.  It  is  a  hard  problem,  an  I 
am  tryin  to  think  of  some  way  to  help  this 
poor  woman. 

This  is  all  from  your  lovin  wife. 

MINT. 

P.  i.  1. —  I  shall  let  you  know  how  this 
all  conies  out. 

WINTOP. 
DEER  WILLIAM  — 

The  blow  has  fallen.  It  is  too  sad  fer 
words,  what  I've  got  to  write. 


WIDOW  TOBEY  SWINDLED     87 

There  was  a  drizzlin  rain  to-day  an 
a  cold  east  wind.  I  kep  all  the  children 
in  cept  Jimmy  —  him  I  let  out  as  he's 
tuff  an  hardy.  Well  Jimmy  hadent 
been  out  long  bfore  he  came  runnin  in 
Ma  says  he,  Mis  Tobey  an  all  the  chil 
dren  are  turned  out.  The  furnitoor  is 
bein  put  on  the  street  an  they  are  all 
cryin. 

Well  William  I  grabbed  my  shawl  an 
out  I  went,  an  I  declare  the  sight  would 
have  made  the  stones  melt.  Two  big 
husky  fellows  was  emptyin  that  house  into 
the  wet  street,  while  clingin  round  their 
mother  was  thet  groop  of  weepin  chil- 
dern. 

Mis  Tobey  looked  like  deth  a  holdin 
the  baby. 

Mis  Tobey,  says  I,  will  you  do  me  a 
favor,  come  right  home  with  me,  you  an 
the  young  ones  an  then  I'll  tell  you  what 
it  is. 

She  came  with  me  meek  enuff  seems 
as  if  she  had  lost  all  sperrit,  an  I  got 
em  into  my  warm  kitchen,  an  I  told  her 


88  MINT  JULEP 

to  stay  there  while  I  went  back  a  minute. 
Then  me  an  Jimmy  jest  ran  to  where  the 
furnitoor  was  bein  put. 

Says  I  to  those  husky  villians  says  I 
if  I  was  a  man  I'd  learn  you  never  to  do 
anything  but  clean  work  long  as  you  lived. 

Then  me  an  Jimmy  started  right  in 
an  we  worked  hard  an  carried  that  furni 
toor,  piece  by  piece  into  my  cellar  — 
beds  an  beddin  cheers  an  tables,  tin 
pans  an  all. 

They  are  all  damp  of  course  but  when 
a  good  dryin  day  comes  along  I  shall 
try  an  dry  evry  one  of  them. 

There  was  not  sech  a  orful  lot  of  stuff 
an  Im  a  terrible  fast  worker  when  I  get 
agoin  William,  an  pretty  soon  we  had 
it  all  in.  The  beddin  I  put  upstairs. 
Then  I  went  into  the  kitchen. 

Says  I,  Mis  Tobey,  I've  got  evry  bit 
of  your  furnitoor,  says  I,  an  youll  stay 
right  here  for  a  spell.  Wont  it  be  nice, 
says  I,  for  the  childern.  I  love  a  house 
ful  of  childern,  says  I  an  a  lot  more. 
Well  William  she  looked  at  me  kinder 


mournful.  She  has  great  big  brown  eyes 
an  there  was  dark  circles  under  them. 

Oh  it  is  too  much,  Mis  Julep  says  she, 
too  much,  an  with  that  William  she  took 
sech  a  fit  of  coughin  an  her  eyes  looked 
so  queer  that  I  was  scart.  Her  hand  felt 
hot  an  I  see  she  was  a  sick  woman  —  an 
I  put  her  right  to  bed  lucky  I  have  a 
foldin  bed  made  up  warm  and  comfitta- 
ble  in  my  settin  room. 

Then  I  started  in  an  I  got  up  a  feed 
for  12  childern,  my  five  and  her  seven,  an 
when  they  was  stuffed  full  they  all  got 
a  playin  nice  as  could  be.  Jimmy  an 
Mis  Tobey's  oldest  girl,  Bess,  she's  an 
orful  pretty  girl  of  12  or  so,  got  em  all 
playin  skule. 

I  xpect  I'll  have  my  hands  full  for 
awhile,  but  I'll  write  you  a  little  later  an 
tell  you  all  about  it. 

Well,  then  I  gave  that  darlin  baby  a 
nice  warm  bottle  of  milk,  an  got  it  sleep- 
in  on  a  blanket  in  my  cloes  basket.  I 
jest  love  babies,  there  is  somethin  about 
them  that  allus  makes  me  want  to  git  em 


90  MINT  JULEP 

close,  seems  sorter  foolish  when  I  have 
five,  an  Ham  an  Eg  are  only  toddlers,  but 
I  jest  cant  help  it,  there  never  quite  so 
dear  to  a  mother  seems  to  me  as  when 
they  are  jest  little  helpless  babies. 
This  is  all  from  your  lovin, 

MINT. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

MINT    SHOULDERS    THE    WIDOW'S 
TROUBLES 


U  rr^AKE  this,  Mis  Tobey,  and  you'll 

feel  better  —  the  baby  is  fine  —  • 

he's  just  had  his  bottle  an'  he's 

out  there  in  his  basket  singing  hisself  to 

sleep,  cute  as  can  be." 

Mint  Julep  was  standing  at  the  bedside 
cf  the  neighbor  she  had  befriended,  with 
a  bowl  of  warm  gruel  in  her  hand,  but 
the  sick  woman  shook  her  head  feebly. 

;'  Thank  you,  dear  Mrs.  Julep,  I  hate 
to  bother  you,  but  really  I  don't  feel  like 
taking  a  thing  this  morning." 

"  A  course  you  don't;  sick  folks  never 
do,  but  they'd  never  git  their  strength 
back  an'  git  well  if  they  didn't  take  some 
nourishment;  now  jest  set  up  for  two  min 
utes,  there's  a  good  woman,  an*  take  this 
91 


92  MINT  JULEP 

little  bit  o'  gruel,  then  you  can  have  a 
nice  sleep." 

"  It  makes  me  feel  so  badly  to  know 
that  I  am  here,  a  burden  to  you,"  began 
the  woman  as  she  raised  herself  in  the 
bed. 

"  Tut,  tut,  Mis  Tobey,  I  won't  have  any 
sech  talk,  you  an'  me  are  Christian  women 
an'  we  ought  to  consider  it  a  favor  to  help 
each  other.  Why  good  lands!  I  believe 
it  was  the  Lord  himself  who  sent  me  to 
Wintop  to  give  you  a  hand  jest  as  he 
sent  the  Samaritan  of  old  to  help  that  poor 
man  who  fell  among  the  thieves. 

'  You  an'  me  an'  lots  of  other  honest 
men  an'  women  has  fallen  among  the 
thieves  of  that  Beruba  Plantation  Co. 

'  You  was  fleeced  a  little  wuss  than 
the  rest  of  us,  an'  bein'  sick,  you  ain't 
jest  able  to  go  on,  but  I'm  a  goin'  to  do 
the  same  as  that  other  Christian  did.  I'm 
a  goin'  to  do  for  you  with  my  own  hands 
an'  you're  a  goin'  to  stay  in  the  inn  until 
you're  able  to  go  on  with  your  journey, 
that's  all  there  is  to  it."  The  sick  worn- 


THE  WIDOW'S  TROUBLES      03 

an's  lips  trembled,  and  she  took  the  prof 
fered  gruel. 

"  God  bless  you,  dear  friend,  you  have 
done  a  far  greater  thing  than  the  Samar 
itan  of  old.  I  spoke  to  Dr.  Roy,"  she 
went  on,  "  but  he  doesn't  say  much  about 
my  going  to  the  hospital,  and  so  I  am 
hoping  that  it  is  because  he  knows  I  will 
be  about  in  a  day  or  two." 

"  A  course  it  wouldn't  be  wuth  while 
to  go  to  the  hospital  for  a  short  spell," 
said  Mint,  "  you'll  be  up  in  no  time.  Why 
I  should  be  offul  lonesome  not  to  have 
yer  here,  now  that  I've  got  used  ter  yer, 
'taint  a  mite  o'  bother  an'  I  jest  love  to 
talk,  if  you  jest  rest  an'  save  yer  strength, 
you'll  be  out  of  that  bed  in  no  time." 

'  Yes,  I  feel  that  I  shall  be  up  soon. 
O,  I  must  get  out  of  this  bed,  Mis  Julep, 
think  of  those  children  and  all  I  ought  to 
be  doing  for  them." 

"  Well,  the  very  best  thing  you  can  do 
for  'em  now  is  to  stay  right  in  bed  to  get 
your  strength  back,  then  you  an'  me  will 
plan  some  good  way  to  start  all  over  again. 


94  MINT  JULEP 

I'm  orful  good  at  plannin',  Mis  Tobey, 
things  pop  inter  my  head  at  jest  the  right 
moment.  A  woman  of  resources  is  wot 
the  prefessor  said  of  me  onct  an'  I  feel 
it's  true.  An'  I  alms  look  on  the  bright 
side.  Why!  If  a  mile  o'  freight  cars 
came  along  loaded  with  trouble,  an' 
dumped  it  all  into  my  house,  I'd  find  a 
way  to  git  it  out,  sure  as  my  name  is  Mint 
Julep." 

"  I  believe  you  would,"  said  Mrs.  To 
bey,  and  a  smile  suddenly  appeared  on  the 
white  lips  that  seemed  to  illumine  her 
whole  countenance.  She  started  to  say 
something,  but  a  fit  of  coughing  seized  her 
and  she  closed  her  eyes  and  lay  back  ex 
hausted.  Mrs.  Julep  drew  the  curtains 
down  and  stole  softly  from  the  room,  but 
she  had  not  been  in  the  kitchen  five  min 
utes  when  the  woman  called  her. 

"  I'm  a  comin',"  said  Mint,  reappear 
ing  at  the  bedside,  "I've  got  a  stew  on, 
an'  I  jest  went  out  to  put  in  my  rice.  A 
stew  is  cheap  an'  fillin',  orful  good  for 
children,  an'  not  the  least  mite  of  bother 


to  make,  now  Mis  Tobey,  wot  was  yer 
goin'  ter  say? " 

"  I  was  thinking,  Mrs.  Julep,  that  I 
must  do  something  very  soon.  Now  I 
know  I'll  never  be  strong  enough  to  go 
out  working  by  the  day,  I  couldn't  do 
washing  and  ironing  and  cleaning,  but  I 
am  a  real  good  sewer.  I  love  to  sew." 

"  A  course  you  do  and  it's  the  very 
thing  for  you  to  do,"  said  Mint,  cheer 
fully.  "  Naow,  if  I  do  say  it,  Mis  Tobey, 
I  jest  hate  to  sew.  I  sew  'cause  I've  got 
to,  there  aint  nobody  else  to  do  it,  but 
there  must  be  hundreds  of  women  who 
don't  like  sewing  any  more  'an  me  that 
can  afford  to  have  somebody  do  it  for  'em 
and  would  be  glad  to  pay  a  conscenshus 
woman  like  you  good  wages.  Yes,  I 
think  plain  sewin'  would  be  jest  the 
thing." 

"  But  Oh  Mrs.  Julep,  perhaps  I  would 
n't  get  work  all  the  time." 

"  Perhaps  you  wouldn't,  'taint  likely 
you  will,  but  you  can  have  a  little  store, 
or  somethin'  beside  the  sewin'  an'  you've 


96  MINT  JULEP 

got  Bess  to  give  you  a  hand  with  the  chil 
dren,  an'  my  stars,  you'll  be  jest  as  snug 
as  a  bug,  an'  I'll  go  an'  give  you  a  hand 
at  the  spring  cleanin'.  Then  mebbe  you 
could  git  a  roomer  or  two.  George  is  ten 
and  a  smart  boy,  he  can  earn  a  dollar  a 
week,  I'll  bet  a  hoss.  Why  good  land  o' 
livin',  when  you  git  out  o'  that  bed,  an' 
me  an'  you  put  our  heads  together,  they'll 
be  sech  schemes  to  make  money  as  would 
make  Mr.  Vanderbilt  set  up  an'  take  no 
tice  an'  learn  somethin'  to  his  advantage. 
I'd  only  been  in  the  city  workin'  for  the 
pref  essor  three  months  when,  I  declare,  in 
that  time  a  dozen  schemes  to  make  a  livin' 
came  into  my  head.  I  'member  one  day, 
Mr.  Graves,  wot  had  a  office  over  the  pre- 
fessor's,  came  in.  He  was  the  prefessor's 
wife's  cousin,  a  reel  nice  man,  a  bachelor, 
alms  jokin',  an'  this  day  he  came  into  the 
prefessor's  in  a  rush.  '  I've  got  a  train  to 
catch,'  says  he, '  ain't  got  time  to  go  to  the 
tailor's  and  here's  the  sleeve  of  my  coat  all 
ripped.'  I  spoke  up,  says  I, '  it  won't  take 


THE  WIDOW'S  TROUBLES     97 

me  two  minutes  to  mend  that.'  An'  I  got 
my  needle  quick  an'  set  to  work.  *  You're 
a  jewel,  Araminta,'  says  he,  '  an'  wouldn't 
it  be  nice  if  a  feller  like  me  had  someone 
to  sew  on  buttons  an'  do  the  mendin','  says 
he.  *  Why  don't  you  git  some  one? '  says 
I.  *  No  one  would  have  me,'  says  he, '  now 
would  they? '  '  I  wouldn't,'  says  I, '  if  this 
is  a  proposal,  an'  you  wouldn't  if  you 
knew  a  thing  or  two  'bout  me.'  Well,  he 
rolled  his  eyes  like  a  playactor.  '  Great 
heavings,'  says  he,  *  Araminta,  is  it  possi 
ble  you  have  a  past? '  '  Five,'  says  I, '  the 
oldest  is  ten  an'  the  youngest  jest  walkin'.' 
WeU,  Mis  Tobey,  I  thot  that  feller  would 
die  a  laffin,  but  I  tell  you  wot  it  is  the  thot 
came  to  me  then  an'  there,  that  a  woman 
handy  with  her  needle  could  git  mendin', 
an'  pressin',  an'  fixin'  for  busy  people  in 
those  big  buildings  most  any  time." 

"  What  a  good  plan  that  would  be," 
cried  Mrs.  Tobey.  "  Oh,  I  feel  that  I  will 
be  able  to  get  on  nicely  if  I  only  get  well," 
and  something  of  Mint  Julep's  faith  got 


98  MINT  JULEP 

into  the  soul  of  the  sick  woman  and  a  look 
of  hope  came  into  her  eyes  that  was  good 
to  see. 

"  Yes,  there  are  ever  so  many  chances 
in  a  big  city,"  she  continued,  "  but  do  you 
know  that  ever  since  I  have  been  sick,  I 
hate  the  city.  I  have  wished  many  times 
that  I  was  back  in  the  country,  and  I  have 
jest  longed  for  the  sight  of  green  fields 
and  apple  blossoms." 

"  Well,  that's  a  perfectly  natral  feelin'. 
When  one  is  away  from  home  an'  ailin', 
it's  nice  to  live  in  God's  country  where 
good  things  are  free  as  air,  an'  there  ain't 
no  sign  to  keep  off  the  grass,  but  I  never 
surmised  you  was  from  the  country.  I 
allus  kind  o*  put  you  down  for  a  native 
of  Wintop." 

"  No  indeed,  I  lived  most  of  my  life 
in  a  little  town  in  northern  Vermont.  I 
taught  school  up  there,  years  ago.  John 
was  a  teacher  too,  but  he  always  had  big 
ideas  of  going  to  the  city  and  getting  into 
business.  He  did  real  well  too,  when  he 
came  to  Wintop,  and  Oh,  to  think  of  what 


THE  WIDOW'S  TROUBLES       99 

I    have    done    with    John's    hard    earn 
ings." 

'  There,  there.  Don't  you  begin  a  fret- 
tin'  'bout  it.  It'll  all  come  out  right  jest 
see  if  it  don't.  You'll  do  well  again, 
p'r'aps  better  than  you  ever  did  in  your 
life ;  mistakes  are  made  by  everybody,  they 
come  jest  to  make  us  a  bit  wiser  for  the 
next,  and  a  bit  kinder  to  the  feller  that's 
bound  to  make  'em.  You'll  be  all  right, 
Mis  Tobey.  Why,  one  of  these  days 
you'll  be  takin'  a  trip  to  your  old  home, 
jest  to  see  the  folks  for  a  nice  visit." 

'  There  isn't  one  of  my  folks  left,  Mrs. 
Julep,  and  John  hadn't  a  relative  in  the 
world,  but  I'd  like  to  see  the  place  again. 
It  was  very  beautiful,  and  now  that  the 
Spring  days  are  coming,  it  makes  me 
think  of  the  stretches  of  green  country  up 
there  and  the  smell  of  apple  blossoms." 

"  Well,  Mis  Tobey,  you  jest  get  rested 
an*  well,  an'  everything  is  comin'  out  all 
right.  I  feel  it,  and  now  I  want  you 
should  git  a  little  sleep  if  you  can.  Molly 
Burt  said  she  was  goin'  to  read  to  you 


100  MINT  JULEP 

when  she  got  home  to-day,  an'  that  will 
be  reel  nice,  for  her  voice  is  low  an'  soothin' 
an'  she's  as  cheerful  to  hev  round  as  a 
sunbeam  in  a  empty  garret." 


CHAPTER  XIV 

THE  LORD  GIYETH  AND  THE  LORD  TAKETH 
AWAY 

DEER  WILLIAM, — 
Miss  Tobey  had  been  sick  in 
Thanatopsis  jest  a  week.  The 
doctor  came  evry  day  an  at  the  last  he 
shuck  his  head  an  told  me  she  could  not 
live.  It  was  on  a  Friday  night,  William, 
an  all  the  children  were  in  bed.  He  said 
it  jest  outside  in  the  entry  but  the  ears  of 
the  sick  are  sometimes  terrible  sharp  an 
she  heard  him,  an  when  I  went  in  there 
was  a  reel  peaceful  look  in  her  face  as 
she  turned  her  big  brown  eyes  on  me. 
It  surprised  me,  cause  all  the  week  she 
was  most  ravin  sayin  as  how  she  must 
git  well,  she  must  git  up  an  work  for  her 
childern.  I  had  all  I  could  do  lots  of 
times  to  keep  her  in  bed,  a  coaxin  an 
101 


102  MINT  JULEP 

pleadin  with  her  to  save  her  strength,  till 
she  got  well,  when  she  could  do  a  lot 
more.  O,  I  had  to  say  a  whole  lot  to 
keep  her  easy.  Well,  when  the  doctor  had 
gone  I  went  in  an  she  smiles  reel  cam  an 
peaceful  like. 

Dear  friend,  says  she,  I  heard  wot  the 
doctor  said  an  I'm  happy.  I  am  ready  to 
go  now.  I  had  a  dream  this  afternoon, 
says  she,  an  ever  sense  I  have  felt  diff rent 
about  evrything.  At  first  it  was  terrible 
to  be  here  sick  an  helpless  and  to  think 
of  all  I  ought  to  be  doin  for  my  children. 
Why  this  very  afternoon,  dear  Mrs.  Julep, 
when  you  left  me  I  was  going  over  in  my 
mind  all  about  planning  to  start  again, 
I  guess  I  got  excited.  I  tried  so  des 
perate  to  get  out  of  bed,  well,  I  got  half 
way  out  an  then  I  fell  back  exhausted 
and  I  cried  from  rage  and  disappintment. 
But  the  effort  to  get  out  of  the  bed  made 
me  so  tired  that  I  fell  into  a  sort  of  a 
sleep.  An  then  came  the  dream.  It  was 
all  green  fields,  an  apple  blossoms,  an  I 
was  walking  through  them  happy  and 


THE  LORD  GIVETH       103 

smiling  as  a  young  girl  and  John  (dear 
John,  he's  only  been  dead  a  year)  he 
worked  so  hard  for  that  house  that  he 
was  bent  an  gray  before  he  went,  but 
in  the  dream  he  was  not  bent  nor  gray 
nor  worried,  he  was  smiling  and  straight, 
and  seemed  to  be  just  waiting  for  me. 
He  was  standing  near  a  tree  all  blossoms, 
and  I  kept  walking  toward  him,  nearer  an 
nearer  till  all  at  once  I  heard  the  baby 
cry  and  I  stopped.  I  cant  come,  John, 
said  I,  the  baby  needs  me.  John  never 
said  a  word,  he  just  looked  over  his  head 
and  smiled  at  something  and  I  looked  an 
saw  a  woman.  Dear  friend,  it  was  like  a 
picture  I  saw  once  of  the  blessed  Mother 
of  God.  She  had  a  little  child  in  her  arms 
and  floating  all  around  her  were  butiful 
children.  Oh,  I  said,  will  you  take  care1 
of  my  baby,  and  all  my  little  ones,  and 
at  that  she  just  smiled.  It  was  like 
heaven  so  peaceful  and  calm  and  holy; 
but  a  great  load  was  suddenly  lifted  from 
my  heart.  I  had  no  more  doubts  nor 
longings,  no  more  fears  for  my  babies. 


104  MINT  JULEP 

I  wanted  to  go  and  I'm  going.  Oh,  dear 
Mrs.  Julep,  you  have  been  so  kind  to  me 
and  my  little  ones  that  God  will  bless  you 
and  if  there  is  such  a  thing,  says  she,  that 
I  can  help  you  when  I  am  over  there,  I'll 
do  it,  dear  friend,  says  she.  An  now  let 
me  see  baby  onct  before  I  go  to  John,  says 
she. 

I  went  out  quiet,  William,  an  I  brot 
in  the  baby.  He  is  a  dear  little  fellow, 
an  he  was  sound  asleep,  but  do  you  know 
that  it  seemed  almost  as  if  he  knew  what 
I  wanted.  He  opened  his  eyes  an  put  up 
his  little  chubby  hands,  an  I  took  him  up 
close  to  my  heart.  I  love  him  already  as 
if  he  was  my  own,  an  I  brought  him  in, 
an  laid  his  little  cheek  next  to  hers.  Oh, 
William,  I  can  never  forget  the  look  that 
came  into  her  eyes. 

"  My  little  baby,"  says  she,  over  an  over. 
"  My  little,  little  baby."  Then  she  kept 
lookin  as  if  somethin  was  right  over  the 
foot  of  the  bed  an  I  took  the  baby  gently 
away  an  went  out  an  cuddled  him  up  in 
the  kitchen  again,  an  went  back  an  there 


THE  LORD  GIVETH        105 

was  Bess,  the  oldest  girl,  standin  at  the 
door  in  her  night  gown. 

"O,  Mis  Julep,"  says  she,  "  I  couldent 
go  to  sleep  for  thinkin  of  mother.  Is  she 
better?" 

I  couldent  speak,  William,  seemed  as  if 
I  would  choke  if  I  did.  I  jest  motioned 
to  the  bed  an  Bess  went  over  an  stood 
at  the  side.  Her  mother  knew  her  an 
smiled. 

The  dyin  woman's  lips  were  movin  in 
prayer,  but  all  the  time  she  kept  lookin 
hard  at  Bess. 

I  leaned  over  an  I  heard  her  say  in 
broken  words,  "  Keep  her,  dear  God, 
Jesus,  my  Savior." 

These  were  her  last  words.  Her  breath 
came  shorter  an  shorter,  an  her  life  went 
out  jest  like  a  candle. 

Bess  threw  herself  across  the  foot  of 
the  bed  an  sobbed  as  if  her  heart  would 
break.  I  put  my  hands  together,  Wil 
liam,  an  prayed  as  well  as  I  knew  how, 
an  I  am  still  prayin  whenever  I  think 
of  that  pure  spirit  that  tried  an  suffered 


106  MINT  JULEP 

an  did  so  much  for  her  children.  O, 
dear  God  of  pity  an  love,  look  down  on 
her  little  ones  an  show  me  the  way  to  do 
what  is  best  for  each  an  all  of  them. 

MINT  JULEP. 


CHAPTER  XV 

THE  WIDOW'S  MITES 

DEEE  WILLIAM,— 
The  funeral  is  over.     Thanks  to 
Molly  Burt,  poor  Mis  Tobey  was 
laid  beside  her  husband. 

I  had  been  in  kind  of  hard  straits  for 
money,  as  the  expenses  was  a  good  deal. 
I  pawned  the  lamp  that  the  pref  essor  gave 
us  for  a  weddin  present,  an  I  sold  all  my 
hens  but  five,  then  Molly  Burt  did  the 
rest  an  helped  me  out.  She  could  not  do 
as  much  as  she  would  have  liked  cause, 
you  see  her  money  is  all  tied  up  some  way, 
but  she  is  the  soul  of  generosity  an  all 
I  can  say  is  I  could  have  done  nothin 
without  her.  Well,  now  I  have  got  Mis 
Toby's  belongins  to  settle  about. 

The  furnitoor  I  am  a  goin'  to  dust  an 
clean,  an  have  an  auction  right  on  my  front 
107 


108  MINT  JULEP 

lawn.  There's  lots  o  useful  things  an  the 
money  is  needed  orful  bad. 

The  children  we  shall  decide  about  later. 
I  spoke  to  Mis  McPeak  about  takin  one. 

There's  a  little  girl,  named  Jennie. 
She's  orful  cute,  all  curls  an  dimples,  an 
Mis  McPeak  is  jest  crazy  to  adopt  her 
but  she's  afraid  that  Scotty  won't  let  her. 
I  says  to  her,  dont  ask  him  at  all,  jest 
take  her,  says  I. 

Mis  McPeak  says,  she  dassent  do  that. 
I  never  see  a  woman  that  stands  in  sech 
fear  of  what  her  husband  will  do  or  say, 
but  she  says  if  she  goes  kinder  on  the 
quiet  about  it,  praps  she  can  take  her. 
At  any  rate  I  send  Jennie  over  there 
evry  day  and  it  would  do  you  good  to  see 
Mis  McPeak  curlin  her  hair  an  fixin  her 
up  pretty.  The  little  thing  was  kind  of 
shy  of  McPeak  at  first,  but  now  she  runs 
an  opens  the  door  when  she  sees  him, 
cryin  out,  Totty  tomin,  Totty  tomin. 
Well,  it  kinder  tickles  McPeak,  an  the 
other  night  when  she  was  sittin  up  at 
the  table  with  them  she  fell  fast  asleep 


over  her  bowl  of  bread  an  milk,  an  when 
Mis  McPeak  got  up  an  offered  to  carry 
her  home  to  me,  Scotty  spoke  up  an  says 
bide  a  wee,  says  he,  Miss  Julep  has  her 
hands  full.  Let  her  stay  the  night,  said 
McPeak.  Jennie  said  she  was  all  of  a 
tremble  with  jest  joy.  She  had  a  little 
baby  onct  many  years  ago,  but  she  died 
an  I  can  see  that  Jennie  McPeak's  heart 
is  jest  achin  for  that  little  motherless  tot. 
O  it  would  be  so  nice  if  they  would  adopt 
it. 

McPeak  is  a  stiddy,  hard  workin  man, 
gittin  good  wages  an  more  than  that  they 
are  terrible  thrifty,  what  with  her  roomers 
an  all,  Jennie  saves  a  lot  of  money,  little 
Jennie  Tobey  would  have  a  good  home  an 
Christian  parents.  O,  I  am  jest  hopin  an 
prayin  that  this  may  be. 

MINT  JULEP. 


CHAPTER  XVI 


"  A  NOVEL  PLAN  FOR  DISPOSING  OF 
BABIES  " 


DEER  WILLIAM,— 
Sech  a  wonderful  thing  has  hap 
pened.  A  novel  plan  for  disposin 
of  babies  is  wot  Molly  Burt  called  it. 
Well,  me  an  Molly  Burt  put  our  heads 
together  to  see  what  we  could  do  with  all 
those  children.  First  of  all,  I  must  tell 
you  that  the  McPeaks  have  legally 
adopted  little  Jennie  Tobey,  they  are  goin 
to  call  her  Tobey  McPeak  because  as 
McPeak  said  she  had  a  good  father  an 
mother  an  ought  to  be  reminded  of  it 
some  way.  McPeak  is  a  wise  man  an 
just  gruff  at  times  an  not  much  for  non 
sense  an  he's  orful  close  but  for  all  that 
the  more  I  see  of  him  the  better  I  like  him. 
Well,  Molly  Burt  is  goin  to  take  Bess 
110 


A  NOVEL  PLAN  111 

Tobey,  but  she  wants  me  to  keep  Bess 
until  Molly  herself  is  21.  She  loves  Bess, 
she  says  she  never  had  a  sister  and  always 
longed  for  one.  She  just  loves  that  baby 
too.  She  said  she  wished  she  could  smug 
gle  him  along  too,  but  bless  you  young 
gals  don't  know  nothin  bout  babies. 
One  day  when  Molly  was  holdin  of  him, 
same  as  if  he  was  a  glass  vase  an  might 
break,  he  started  to  holla  an  I  thought 
I'd  die  a  laffin', — 

"  Oh,  Mis  Julep,  quick,  take  him  quick, 
please  take  him,"  says  Molly,  "  I  think 
he  is  goin  to  choke." 

Well,  Bess  and  Jennie  were  provided 
for  but  they  was  five  more,  an  one  night 
when  we  was  talkin  it  over  an  sayin'  as 
how  there  must  be  lots  of  folks  in  the 
world  that  could  love  an  take  care  of 
such  nice  children,  I  had  a  insperration. 
I  told  it  to  Molly  an  she  went  a  purpose 
an  told  it  next  day  to  Mr.  Jeremiah  Sto 
rey,  and  a  few  days  after,  this  notice  was 
put  in  a  big  newspaper. 


112  MINT  JULEP 

Wanted.  Any  honest,  Christian  woman 
of  means  who  likes  children  and  has  none, 
will  learn  of  something  to  her  advantage 
by  calling  at  Thanatopsis  Cottage,  Grass 
hopper  Lane,  Wintop,  Mass.,  on  next 
Tuesday  afternoon  at  3  o'clock. 

We  put  the  word  "  Wanted  "  in  orful 
big  letters.  Mr.  Jeremiah  said  the  ladies 
were  always  wanting  something,  and  that 
word  would  catch  their  eye. 

Well  William  Julep  such  a  time  as  we 
had.  It  was  like  a  show,  and  best  of  all 
it  brought  me  my  old  friend,  but  wait, 
I'll  git  to  that. 

In  the  mornin  the  hull  tribe  of  kids 
were  playin  in  the  dirt  on  my  back  steps 
makin  mud  pies,  nice  as  could  be.  I 
guess 'that  more  dirt  got  into  those  chil 
dren  than  into  my  steps,  but  that  never 
bothers  me,  some  wise  man  said  onct,  you 
cant  raise  chickens  or  children  without 
dirt,  an  I  believe  it.  I  keep  mine  warm 
an  dry,  feed  em  just  as  well  as  I  can, 
lots  of  milk  an  eggs  an  broth,  then  I 


A  NOVEL  PLAN  113 

let  em  play  in  dirt  from  Monday  mornin 
till  Sateday  night,  when  they  are  put  in 
the  tub  an  scrubbed  individule  &  Collective, 
an  I  dont  believe  their  is  any  healthier 
childern  in  the  state  than  mine.  Well,  I 
had  dinner  early,  an  then  I  scrubbed  an 
scoured  them  children  inside  an  out,  an 
made  them  look  just  as  sweet  an  fresh 
as  I  could.  I  dont  know  what  I  would 
have  done  but  for  that  sweet  girl  Molly 
Burt  a  helpin  me,  an  I  set  the  children  up 
in  a  row  in  my  settin  room,  and  pretty  soon 
the  bell  rings  an  I  went  to  the  door  and 
William  there  stood  my  old  friend,  Bella 
Ball,  in  a  sweepin  silk  an  parasol  to 
match,  a  hat  big  as  a  canopy  an  sech 
hair.  She  looked  perfectly  bewtiful. 
Well  we  jest  hugged  an  kissed  each 
other.  I  alms  did  like  Bella  an  the 
strange  part  of  it  all  was  she  never  knew 
I  was  Mis  Julep.  You  see  she  came  to 
Farnham  on  a  visit  when  the  twins  was 
born  an  named  em  an  after  that  we 
kinder  lost  track  of  each  other,  but  I  told 
you  onct  that  she  did  not  marry  a  Farn- 


114  MINT  JULEP 

ham  boy.  She  married  Henery  Ball,  who 
came  onct  to  Farnham  on  his  summer  va 
cation,  an  tenny  rate  it  seems  he  is  in 
the  soap  grease  business  in  Chelsea,  an 
they  own  their  own  home  an  are  reel  well 
off.  The  only  thing  Bella  lacks  for  in 
this  world  she  says  is  a  family.  She 
wanted  one,  an  Henery  Ball  wanted  one 
orfully  but  they  never  had  one  and  then 
she  sees  that  notice  in  the  paper  and  she 
gets  intrusted  right  away  and  comes  over 
to  Wintop,  never  xpectin  to  see  her  old 
friend,  Araminta  Backup,  that  was  fust 
of  all,  Allum  later  an  Mint  Julep  that  is. 
Well,  sayse  I,  Bella,  take  your  choice, 
I'd  rather  you'd  have  one  than  most  any 
body,  and  I  told  her  the  whole  sad  story 
of  the  Tobeys,  but  while  I  was  a  talkin 
to  Bella,  the  bell  rang  again  and  a  lot 
of  women,  some  old,  some  young,  some 
sweet,  an  some  sour  was  on  the  porch  of 
my  house,  an  I  welcomed  them  in  an 
when  I  gets  them  all  inside  we  was  so 
crowded  that  some  had  to  stand  in  the 
entry  way. 


A  NOVEL  PLAN  115 

I  stood  on  a  little  hassock  in  the  middle 
of  the  room  an  talked  to  them  in  a  reel 
business  like  way. 

A  course,  says  I,  who  ever  wants  to 
adopt  one  of  these  childern  will  have  to 
have  references  an  be  willin  for  Mr.  Jer 
emiah  Storey,  the  lawyer,  to  look  them  up. 
Then  I  held  up  that  darlin  baby,  Johnny 
Tobey. 

Here,  says  I,  is  a  sweet  blue-eyed  baby 
boy,  healthy  an  good  natured.  Who 
would  like  the  dearest  thing  under 
Heaven,  says  I,  jest  for  the  keepin,  dont 
all  speak  at  onct,  come  rite  up. 

Well  William  you  would  think  they 
was  all  struck  dumb,  no  one  moved  an 
that  made  me  mad. 

Praps,  says  I,  some  of  you  has  a  puff 
poodle  at  hum,  that  you  wash  an  sun  an 
stuff  an  take  out  for  a  airin,  he'll  swell 
up  an  bust  some  day  an  that  will  be  the 
end  of  him,  but  here,  says  I,  is  a  little  hu 
man  soul  that  God  made  for  love.  There 
is  good  in  evry  human  born  into  this 
world  but  its  got  to  be  developed  some 


116  MINT  JULEP 

an  brought  out  an  nothin  will  bring  it  out 
like  jest  love.  Now  there  is  no  knowin 
wot  that  little  baby  may  become  but  you 
wont  git  Johnny  Tobey  not  one  of  yer  I 
will  keep  him  myself. 

Well  with  that  Bella  comes  up  an  whis 
pers,  O,  Araminta,  says  she,  I  want  him, 
I  would  just  love  to  have  him,  but  I  was 
thinkin  I  would  like  to  have  Henery  here. 
And  I  want  the  little  girl  with  the  red 
curls,  says  Bella,  (thats  little  Margaret 
Toby)  keep  em  both  Araminta,  an  I'm 
goin  straight  out  an  tellephune  for  Hen 
ery  to  come  right  over  here. 

Well  I  was  orful  pleased  at  that  and 
then  a  reel  sweet  faced  woman  dressed 
in  black  came  up  an  said  she  would  like 
to  talk  with  little  Freddie.  He  is  a  hand 
some  little  chap  jest  4  an  I  told  her  to  take 
him  out  in  my  back  yard  an  show  him  the 
hens  an  she  would  git  him  talkin  reel  cute 
an  natral,  an  Freddie  put  his  little  hand 
in  hers  an  went  with  her  nice  as  could  be 
an  bime  by  she  came  back  her  eyes  all  wet 
from  weepin. 


A  NOVEL  PLAN  117 

I  had  a  dear  little  fellow  once,  says  she, 
jest  like  Freddie  but  I  guess  God  wanted 
him  more  than  I  did.  Theres  a  big  room 
at  home  jest  filled  with  his  pretty  toys  an 
a  lonesome  shaggy  dog  that  watches  them 
evry  day.  I  thot  I  never  could  do  it,  she 
said,  but  there's  a  look  about  Freddie.  I'd 
like  to  take  him  home  with  me  an  see  how 
the  toys  like  him.  If  the  shaggy  dog 
thinks  it  is  all  right  I  guess  may  be  it  is. 

I  felt  a  lump  in  my  throat  all  the  time 
she  was  talkin  William.  It  was  jest  as  if  I 
had  looked  inside  a  little  corner  of  a  moth 
er's  heart  an  found  it  all  bruised  an  achin 
an  longin.  She  slipped  me  a  card  with 
her  name  and  address  on  it.  She's  a  Mrs. 
Davis  an  a  reel  lady  an  best  of  all  Mr. 
Jeremiah  knows  all  about  her.  He  sent 
her  to  us.  I  feel  so  happy.  What  a 
great  thing  for  that  little  child  if  he  gits 
a  mother  an  home  like  this  an  as  for  that 
sweet  woman  who  knows  but  what  that  lit 
tie  orphan  boy  may  do  much  toward  heal 
ing  a  poor  broken  heart.  Oh,  I  know 
dear  Mis  Tobey  is  pleased  to-day  an  I 


118  MINT  JULEP 

thank    the    dear    God    for    this    favor. 

Dr.  Roy,  who  attended  Mis  Tobey 
wants  the  boy.  He  is  goin  to  take  George 
Tobey,  who  is  ten  an  educate  him  an 
George  can  do  little  chores  for  he's  a  big 
strong  boy. 

Well  then,  there  was  only  little  Bud  left. 
She  is  a  little  gal  of  7,  with  a  face  like  an 
angel  but  she's  lame,  and  nobody  wanted 
the  little  lame  chicken.  I  would  not  put 
her  up  to  talk  about,  William,  I  jest 
couldent.  I  called  her  to  me  across  the 
room  so  thet  they  would  all  see  she  was 
lame,  an  then  I  put  my  arm  around  her 
and  I  said  I  guess  I  cant  let  Bud  go,  I 
want  her  myself.  Nobody  offered  to  take 
Bud  so  I  hugged  her  close.  I  only  have 
one  little  gal,  Bud,  says  I,  an  she's  a  fly 
away,  an  rough  as  a  boy.  I  want  you  to 
be  my  little  gal  too,  and  see  if  Mamie 
wont  git  to  be  sweet  an  gentle  like  you. 
Well  William  she  jest  hid  her  face  in  my 
dress.  Oh,  Mis  Julep,  says  she,  I'd  like 
to  stay  here  with  you.  And  here  she  stays 
William  long  as  the  dear  Lords  wants  I 


A  NOVEL  PLAN  119 

should  keep  her.  She'll  git  what  mine  git 
an  better  if  I  can  do  it,  an  when  the  day 
comes  that  I  shall  have  to  render  a  account 
of  my  stewardship  I  shall  say  I  did  the 
best  I  knew  how. 

This  is  the  whole  story  from 
iYour  lovin  wife, 

AEAMINTA  JULEP. 


CHAPTER  XVII 

LOST,  A  Due  AND  OLD  CURIOSITY  SHOP 


Dire™  WILLIAM  : 
Every  thing  is  goin  along  reel 
nice  here.     The  children  are  well  an 
Molly;  Burt  seems  happy  an  contented 
now. 

Last  night  I  was  sewing,  all  the  children 
'cept  Bess  an  Jimmy  was  in  bed.  Bess 
was  helpin  me,  she's  orful  handy  with  her 
needle,  an  that  oldest  boy  of  ourn  was 
readin. 

He's  pesessed  lately  to  read.  I  sent  him 
up  stairs  one  day  to  clean  up  his  room,  an 
after  waitin  an  waitin  for  him  to  git 
through  an  come  down,  I  tip-toed  up  stairs 
to  see  what  was  keepin  him  so  long. 

Well  I  never  made  a  sound  an  I  opened 
the  door  quick  an  peeked  in,  an  there  was 
120 


LOST,  A  DUG  121 

Jimmy  on  his  stummick  with  a  book  under 
his  nose. 

I  thot  at  fust  he  was  eatin  it,  an  I  dont 
know  as  it  would  have  surprised  me  much 
if  he  was,  for  boys  eat  most  any  old  thing1, 
an  my  Jimmy  has  a  stummick  that  could 
digest  hoss  nails.  Talk  about  devourin  a 
book,  thats  jest  wot  Jimmy  was  doin. 

I  let  a  ofFul  loud  coif,  that  made  Jimmy 
jump.  He  was  terrible  supprised  at  see- 
in  me, —  Wots  it  about,  Jimmy  says  I,  an 
is  it  as  good  as  all  that. 

Mother  says  Jimmy,  its  great,  they  have 
got  the  slooth  into  a  hut  an  theres  three 
hundred  Injuns  guardin  it,  but  he  sees  a 
way  out. 

Says  I  you  had  best  see  a  way  out  of 
here  to  do  your  chores  quick  Jimmy,  or 
I'll  be  wuss  nor  those  three  hundred  In 
juns,  says  I. 

I  told  Molly  Burt  about  it,  an  she  laffed 
an  said  he  was  jest  at  the  age  where  his 
taste  for  readin  is  being  formed. 

She's  offul  kind,  she  had  a  reel  nice  talk 


122  MINT  JULEP 

with  Jimmy  an  she  let  him  take  a  book,  an 
she  says  now  Jimmy,  I  want  you  to  read  it 
an  tell  me  honestly  how  you  like  it.  An 
Jimmy  did,  an  the  very  next  day  he  says 
dont  yer  read  it  Miss  Burt,  says  he,  theres 
nothin  doin. 

Well  Molly  laffed  an  laffed.  Then  she 
let  him  take  another.  Its  about  the  Cru 
saders,  she  told  him  a  lot  about  them,  an 
Jimmy  liked  it  reel  well,  an  when  he  fin 
ished  it  she  got  him  another. 

Well  wot  I  started  to  say  at  the  begin- 
nin  of  this  letter  was  that  the  night  that 
Bess  an  I  was  sewin,  an  Jimmy  readin, 
Molly  Burt  came  in  an  sot  an  we  got  talkin 
about  books.  Molly  jest  loves  to  read. 

I  told  her  that  Bella  Ball  was  jest  plumb 
crazy,  when  we  was  gals,  about  readin 
books.  Bella  was  allus  coaxin  me  to  read 
books  that  she  did,  but  I  never  could  git 
intrusted  in  'em.  They  was  allus  too  long 
gittin  married  to  suit  me. 

But  that  Bella  Ball,  how  she  would  weep 
over  them  gals  in  the  story  books.  I  mem 
ber  onct  Bella  jest  begged  me  to  read  a 


LOST,  A  DUG  123 

book  that  had  set  her  weepin  for  a  week. 

The  name  of  it  was — Lost — a  Due — or 
Weddin  the  Wrong  Man.  Well  Bella 
cried  a  bucketful  over  that  book,  an  at  last 
I  give  in  to  her  pleadin  an  read  it,  an  I 
never  shed  one  weep  over  it.  I  was  mad 
clean  through  over  that  book,  thats  what  I 
was.  Says  I  to  Bella  taint  strange  says  I 
that  the  Lady  Gwendolin  married  the 
wrong  man  says  I,  wot  surprises  me  is 
that  a  female  like  her  could  git  any  man 
rite  or  wrong  to  marry  her. 

O,  Araminta,  says  Bella,  have  you  no 
sole.  I  have  says  I,  two  of  them,  an  I'd 
take  'em  both,  fust  one  an  then  the  other, 
an  boot  the  Due  De-Swamp-Flees  outer 
Farnham. 

More'n  that  says  I,  I'd  take  the  Lady 
Gwendolin  an  put  her  into  a  asslum  for 
the  feeble  minded,  says  I. 

That  was  the  only  book  I  ever  read  all 
through,  and  I  didnt  quite  finish  that  but 
Bella  told  me  stories  she  had  read  an  I  will 
say  some  of  them  warnt  half  bad. 

Orful    romancin    gal   was    Bella.     I'll 


MINT  JULEP 

never  forgit  one  Hollow  Eve  night,  Bella 
an  me  went  to  a  barn  dance. 

We  ducked  for  apples  an  played  games, 
an  we  had  a  reel  good  time  an  that  night 
on  the  way  home,  me  an  Bella  agreed  to  go 
upstairs  backward  an  git  inter  bed  back 
ward  an  do  a  lot  of  things  upside  down 
to  see  if  we  would  dream  of  our  future 
husbend. 

Well  I  did  dream  that  night.  I  have 
never  dreamt  much  in  my  life,  an  when  I 
do,  its  perfeckly  ridicalus.  That  night  I 
was  chasin'  naked  savages  all  over  Farn- 
ham.  Perfeck  nightmare  thats  what  it 
was,  an  no  wonder,  for  Bella  an  me  had  et 
a  whole  mince  pie  fore  we  went  to  bed. 

Well  the  very  next  day  Bella  ran  in  to 
me  breathless,  O  Araminta  says  she,  sech  a 
dream  as  I  had  says  she,  an  she  acktually 
groned, — was  it  your  future  husbend  says 
I,  I'm  not  sure  says  Bella  scairt  like,  I 
dreamt  of  a  man  but  O  Araminta  says 
she,  he  looked  like  the  devil,  orful  dark 
with  a  mustarch  that  pointed  upwards. 

Bella  says  I,  if  you  marry  one  of  them 


LOST,  A  DUG  125 

f urriners,  we  part  friendship  forever  says 
I.  Well  I  told  all  this  to  Molly  an  we 
had  sech  a  good  time  laffin  about  books,  an 
bime-by  Molly  took  out  a  book,  this  is  one 
of  my  favorites  says  she ;  its  so  good  an  it 
has  give  me  so  much  pleasure  that  I'd  like 
to  share  it  with  the  whole  world  says  she. 

Share  it  with  us  Molly,  says  I,  tell  us 
about  it,  or  whats  better  still  says  I,  read 
a  little,  that  is  if  you  dont  mind. 

I'd  love  to  says  Molly  an  I'm  sure  you 
will  enjoy  it. 

Well  William,  Molly  has  a  voice  sweet 
an  low  an  clear  as  a  bell, — its  a  reel  pleas 
ure  to  lissen  to  her  readin,  it  was  as  if  you 
was  rite  there  with  the  pusson  in  the  book 
an  seein  every  thing  yourself.  An  the 
book  was  diffrent  from  anything  I  ever 
heard  tell  of,  or  anything  Bella  Ball  ever 
read. 

The  name  of  the  book  was  the  Old  Curi 
osity  Shop.  Even  Jimmy  an  Bess  got  in 
terested  in  a  dear  little  creature  that  they 
called  Little  Nell,  an  the  way  she  f  ollered 
her  old  grandpa  round,  a  watchin  of  him, 


126  MINT  JULEP 

an  guardin  him  an  tryin  to  protect  him,  an 
she  nothin  but  a  child  herself. 

Well  William  it  was  wonderful  and  kin 
der  sad,  there  was  other  karacters  in  that 
book  that  was  reel  funny  an  made  us  all 
laff. 

One  was  a  little  crooked  man  named 
Danel  Quilp  thet  I  think  was  pesessed 
of  seven  evil  sperrits,  he  was  a  queer  chap, 
an  O  William  Danel  was  missin  fer  a  few 
days  an  some  men  came  to  git  a  descrip 
tion  of  him  from  his  mother  in  law  an 
I'll  never  forgit  it,  for  Danel  came  in  an 
was  hidin  behind  the  door  an  heard  every 
word  his  mother  in  law  said  to  those  men 
about  him.  William  Julep  I  never  laff  ed 
so  much  in  my  life,  I  laffed  so  hard  that 
Molly  had  to  stop  an  lafF  too. 

I  never  knew  they  had  sech  nateral  goins 
on  in  books  as  was  here.  Some  how  they 
are  so  reel,  that  you  never  think  of  'em 
as  bein  in  books,  seem  as  if  they  was  old 
friends  an  might  walk  in  any  minnit  an 
set  awhile. 

Well  we  made  Molly  promise  that  she 


LOST,  A  DUG  127 

would  read  some  every  night  till  the  story 
was  finished,  an  Molly  was  jest  ticklled 
to  do  so.  She  told  us  about  some  other 
books  by  the  same  man  as  wrote  Little 
Nell,  Molly  says  they  are  the  best  books 
ever  written  an  she  wants  Bess  an  Jimmy 
to  read  every  one  of  them. 

She  knows  a  heep  about  books  an  has 
wot  the  perf esser  would  call  a  highly  cul- 
tered  mind.  Molly  says  the  greatest  one 
of  all  the  books  this  man  rote,  is  called 
David  Copperfield,  an  she  is  goin  ter  start 
it  fer  me  by  readin  it  aloud  an  then  she 
says  I'll  finish  it  myself. 

Well  William  its  offul  nice  an  cosy  here 
an  I  wish  you  was  at  home  to  enjoy  it 
all.  It  would  make  yer  heart  glad  to  see 
Molly  an  Bess,  with  their  arms  around 
each  other,  jest  like  two  lovin  sisters. 

Molly  is  so  sweet  an  lady  like  that  I 
cant  help  thinkin  every  time  I  see  'em  to 
gether,  if  Bess  is  like  that  pure,  sweet  gal, 
her  dear  mother  in  Heaven  must  be  smilin 
an  happy, 

YOUE  LOVIN  MINT. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

WILLIAM'S  PAR  AND  MAR  ARRIVE 

DEARIST  WILLIAM 
Sech  a  surprise  as  I  have  fer 
you,  but  yisterday  I  was  peelin  my 
pertatoes  fer  dinner  when  Ham  an  Eg 
walked  inter  the  kitchin,  leadin  a  nice  ap- 
pearin  couple,  gent  an  lady.     The  gent 
put  down  his  carpet  bag  on  the  floor  an 
says  to  me  reel  smilin, —  misses  William 
Julep   low  me   to   introdooce  mister   an 
misses  Tom  Julep  of  Little  Acres. 

Yes  William  as  I  live,  your  par  an  mar ; 
fust  time  they  had  ben  away  in  20  year. 
An  they  never  knew  you  was  out  in  the 
Rockies,  which  was  wrong  of  you  William 
never  to  have  writ  a  line  to  your  folks. 

You  orter  pray  William  to  overcome 

thet  terrible  f  ailin  of  yourn  of  not  talkin 

or  writin  —  if  you  did  you  would  never 

go  away  from  home  an  not  write  a  line 

128 


PAR  AND  MAR  ARRIVE     129 

to  the  best  friends  a  man  can  ever  own  this 
side  of  heaven. 

Well  William  there  was  your  par  an 
mar  a  standin  there,  an  Jimmy  an  Mamie 
an  Tommy  an  Ham  an  Eg  an  Bess  an 
Bud  a  standin  there  waitin  for  devilope- 
ments  an  I  felt  that  pleesed  I  jumped  up 
an  I  grabbed  the  childern  an  I  said  wel 
come,  welcome,  welcome  to  Thanatopsis  an 
then  an  there  we  jest  played  ring  around 
arosy,  with  par  an  mar  an  the  carpet  bag 
in  the  middle.  Your  par  laffed  an  laffed, 
he  enjoyed  it  I  could  see,  but  your  mar 
got  nervous  when  Ham  an  Eg  fit  like  imps 
on  the  bag,  to  see  who  was  goin  to  open  it. 

Well  here  they  be  an  here  I'm  agoin 
to  make  them  stay  f  er  a  spell  an  I  want 
you  should  write  them  a  nice  letter  an 
give  them  word  there  welcome  to  Thana 
topsis. —  I  have  jest  had  an  idee,  I  will 
write  the  letter  cause  you  cant,  William, 
an  inclose  it  in  this  one  then  you  send  it 
direck  to  your  folks  from  the  Rockies  an 
this  will  pleese  your  lovin  wife 

MINT  JULEP. 


130  MINT  JULEP, 

P.  I.  L. 

I  should  talk  William  if  I  bed  to  talk 
to  myself,  an  if  you  done  sech  a  thing  I 
dont  know  thet  you  could  be  talkin  to  a 
better  man. 

I  wish  you  was  comin  home  William, 
we  are  all  jest  pinein  to  see  you. 

Mint. 

Wintop. 
MY  DEER  HUSBEND 

I  now  take  pen  in  hand  to  remind  you 
of  the  felicitudes  of  life.  I  bed  a  tela- 
graph  today  from  Farnham  thet  contained 
sad  news.  William  you'd  never  guess 
what  was  in  thet  telagraph  —  life  is  made 
up  of  losses  an  crosses  an  when  they  come 
we  got  to  take  them. 

You  an  me  cant  go  slidin  down  the  hill 
of  life  without  gettin  some  bumps  —  Wil 
liam  Julep  we've  jest  bed  a  bump. 

You  an  me  is  no  diffrent  from  the  rest 
of  creation  —  I  onct  heard  Mister  God 
win  say  thet  life  is  how  ,we  take  it  an  I 
know  now  thet  he  meens  how  we  take 
losses  an  crosses. 


PAR  AND  MAR  ARRIVE     131 

William  you  must  make  up  your  mind 
to  beer  up  like  a  man,  an  dont  forgit  thet 
whot  ever  happens  you've  got  your  Mint 
Julep  an  the  childern,  but  if  the  Good 
Lord  should  see  fit  in  his  all  wiseness  to 
call  me  to  my  reward  I'll  go, —  not  thet 
I  expect  much  William  but  I  do  expect 
more  than  Luther  Day  thet  uster  sell  coal 
in  Farnham  an  was  up  before  the  orthor- 
ities  more  than  onct  f  er  givin  short  weight. 

When  Luther  died  I'll  never  forgit 
what  mister  Godwin  said,  says  he,  our 
brother  has  gone  to  his  reward  says  he, — 
well  I  kept  a  thinkin  of  them  words  Wil 
liam  —  Gone  to  his  reward  says  I,  an  he 
sold  coal  an  sold  it  short.  The  ways  of 
Providence  is  far  seein  William,  Luther 
was  given  his  chanct  in  this  world  to  see 
what  he'd  do  with  coal  —  He  was  short  — 
I  dont  beleive  he'll  ever  be  short  on  coal  in 
the  next. 

But  as  I  was  sayin  William  if  I  should 
pass  to  my  reward,  I  wouldent  expect  you 
to  mope  around  here  without  a  wife,  you 
need  a  woman  more  than  the  avrage  Wil- 


132  MINT  JULEP 

Ham  —  You  are  one  of  them  critters  what 
takes  what  ever  is  handy  but  you  dont 
never  reech  out, —  you  need  a  wife  to  reech 
out  fer  you. 

I  have  been  reechin  out  all  my  life  fer 
some  one  an  when  I  git  on  the  other  side 
I  expect  I'll  have  to  reech  out  an  help 
some  one  over. 

I  dont  beleeve  I'd  ever  leeve  the  selec- 
shen  of  a  female  to  you  William,  I  should 
want  to  see  her  an  git  her  broken  in  before 
I  went. 

I've  set  my  heart  on  it  thet  Tommy 
should  be  a  moosichen  as  you  know,  an 
Jimmy  somethin  ekally  as  good.  I  hev 
changed  my  mind  about  Jimmys  bein  a 
orrater.  He  does  hate  to  hear  hisself  talk 
an  orraters  dont  hev  thet  f  ailin.  A  good 
medisin  docter  wouldent  be  bad  fer 
Jimmy, —  half  the  folks  you  meet  are  allus 
ailin  an  the  other  half  thinks  they  have 
ailins  so  them  medisin  fellers  git  all  they 
want  to  do. 

An  they  dont  hev  to  talk  much  either  - 


PAR  AND  MAR  ARRIVE     133 

most  of  them  jest  set  up  an  look  wise  an 
send  a  bill.  Pa  says  a  boss-doctor  aint 
bad  neither. 

I  expect  Mamie  will  hustle  all  her  life 
same  as  me.  She's  jest  like  me  ceptin  fer 
the  tack,  which  she  cant  seem  to  git  in 
her. 

Regardin  the  twins  well  Ham  an  Eg  is 
most  too  young  to  think  of  settin  them  up 
in  bisness,  but  I  shouldent  be  surprised  if 
they'd  turn  out  painters  or  the  like  for 
twas  only  yisterday  thet  they  made  a 
border  of  little  round  holes  on  the  kitchin 
wall  with  nuthin  but  there  naked  fists  an 
molasses,  t'warnt  tidy  as  your  mar  said, 
but  as  I  said  it  was  reel  cute  an  showed  a 
desinein  mind. 

But  Hirams  wife  is  dead  an  gone  Wil 
liam  (Peggy  Barnes  that  was)  an  a  good 
woman  she  was  too  though  she  was  pes- 
sessed  to  git  her  beans  too  salty,  an  she  died 
of  a  Tuesday  an  will  be  berried  of  a  Fri 
day.  Par  an  Mar  will  mind  the  childern 
while  I  go  to  Farnham,  poor  Hiram  I  do 


134  MINT  JULEP 

pitty  him  alone.  It  isent  good  fer  man 
to  live  alone  William,  the  Good  Book  says 
so. 

Your  sorrowin  an  greevin 

AEAMINTA  JULEP. 
P.  I.  L. 

It  hes  jest  come  to  me  that  it  is  fittin 
you  should  write  a  letter  to  Hiram  consolin 
him  in  this  our  of  his  bereevement. 

I  dont  dast  trust  you  to  do  it,  so  I  shall 
hev  to  write  it  inclose  it  with  this  an  you 
send  it  direck  from  the  Rockies  to 

Mister  Hiram  Cuckoo  Backup 
Farnham. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

MOVING  THE  HENS  TO  CHELSEA 

DEER  WILLIAM, 
There    are    some    folks    in    this 
world  thet  may  have  their  use,  but 
its  orful  hard  for  others  to  figger  out  jest 
what  'tis. 

There's  a  cantankerous  single  man,  wot 
has  a  impedelment  in  his  speech,  roomin' 
at  McPeaks.  His  name  is  Rorer,  Benja 
min  Rorer.  The  McPeaks  don't  care 
much  about  him,  cause  he's  allus  behind 
in  his  rent.  Well  William  it  seems  he 
has  made  objections  to  my  hens  —  he  said 
the  rooster  crowed  too  loud  an  too  early, 
an  he  was  loosin  his  sleep,  an  a  whole  lot 
more.  Did  you  ever  hear  of  anything  so 
ridicalous. 

I  have  allus  felt  proud  of  Dick  —  He's 
better  than  any  alarm  clock  in  the  town, 
135 


136  MINT  JULEP 

cause  you  dont  never  have  to  wind  him 
up, —  he's  sot  for  four  o'clock  for  life. 

Well  tenny  rate,  I  got  word  from  the 
authortees  last  week  that  I  must  part  with 
my  hens.  I  never  was  so  surprised  in 
my  life.  I  felt  bad  an  Mrs.  McPeak  felt 
bad  cause  I  often  give  her  a  fresh  egg. 

Your  Par  was  mad  as  a  hornet  about 
it,  an  when  the  Board  o  Health  man  came 
round  next  day,  Par  said  a  whole  lot  to 
him. —  Why !  says  Par  wots  a  few  hens  — 
I  was  goin  ter  buy  a  caf  for  Tommy  there, 
an  ding  me  ef  I  dont.  You  better  not, 
says  the  health  man,  this  aint  the  country, 
you  know,  an  you'll  git  inter  all  sorts  of 
trouble.  Well  after  he  went  away  Par 
jest  raved  —  not  git  a  calf  if  I  want  one, 
says  Par. — 

"  Things  has  come  to  the  purtiest  pass 
the  world  has  ever  sawn,  ef  an  old  duff 
cant  let  a  caf,  chaw  grass  on  his  own  front 
lawn!" 

But  to  git  to  the  hens  —  Scotty 
McPeak  who  is  terrible  shrude  an  long 
hedded,  told  me  to  send  the  hens  away 


MOVING  THE  HENS       137 

for  awhile  an  lay  low,  an  then  bime-by 
bring1  'em  back.  He  xplained  as  how  I 
could  worry  out  this  Rorer  till  he  quit  his 
complaints. 

Well  I  dident  know  jest  what  to  do 
about  sendin  'em  away  for  awhile,  'taint 
as  tho  you  could  send  five  hens  an  a  rooster 
visitin', —  not  but  what  they'd  pay  their 
way. 

However  I  hated  to  part  with  my  hens, 
an  at  last  I  thot  of  a  scheme.  There  was 
Bella  Ball  in  Chelsea. —  Bella  was  from 
Farnham,  I  argeyed,  an  as  sech  was  allus 
used  to  hens,  an  Farnham  folks  was  allus 
accommodatin',  moreover  Bella  had  bor 
rowed  off  me  as  a  gal,  every  thing  I 
owned  'cept  my  skin;  why  I'll  never  for- 
git  onct  she  borrowed  my  stays  to  wear 
to  a  huskin';  I  had  to  fill  out  some  way 
so  I  got  some  stiff  paper  an  made  a  sort 
of  emergency  stays  that  answered  the 
purpose  all  right  as  far  as  the  looks  went, 
but  every  time  I  danced  that  paper  made 
an  orful  noise,  an  onct  when  Hicks  Bos- 
worth  was  swingin'  he  says  rite  out  — 


138  MINT  JULEP 

"  I  allus  thot  you  was  thin,  Mint,  but  I 
never  heerd  yer  bones  rattle  before." 

Bella  was  balancin'  us  on  the  opposite 
corner,  an  she  said  she  thot  she'd  die  a 
laffin. 

But  to  git  to  the  hens  agin,  I  felt  that 
Bella  would  help  me  out,  an  besides  I 
wanted  to  see  the  Tobey  children,  Johnny 
an  Margaret,  so  I'd  kill  two  birds  with 
one  stun,  git  the  hens  over  outer  harms 
way,  an  pay  a  visit  all  to  onct. 

Them  health  men  gave  us  three  days 
to  git  rid  of  the  hens,  an  on  the  third 
mornin'  I  put  on  my  black  dress  an  my 
cashmere  shawl,  an  we  started,  me  an  Par 
an  Jimmy. 

Par  an  Jimmy  had  baskets  with  two 
hens  in  each,  but  we  couldent  raise  another 
basket  nowhere,  so  I  tuck  Dick  right  un 
der  one  arm,  an  the  brown  pullet  under 
the  other. 

I  knew  my  shawl  would  hide  'em  so 
that  no  one  in  the  car  would  be  a  bit  the 
wiser. 

Well  Par  had  a  little  argyment  with 


MOVING  THE  HENS      139 

the  cornducter  when  we  was  gettin  on, 
'bout  the  baskits,  but  Par  assured  him  that 
they  was  well  behaved  poultry,  an  would- 
ent  cause  no  annoyance,  but  he  insisted 
on  Pa's  leavin  the  baskits  outside ;  so  tenny 
rate  on  we  got,  an  Jimmy  got  right  in  the 
farthest  corner,  then  Par,  an  then  me. 

Now  I  dont  never  look  much  at  folks 
in  a  car,  'taint  perlite,  but  direct  oppsite 
sat  two  Hebrew  gents,  an  If  I  do  say 
it  one  of  them  was  terrible  cross-eyed. 
They  was  talkin'  hard  at  each  other  in 
a  furrin  tongue,  seemed  like  they  was 
havin  a  seerius  argyment,  an  all  the  time 
their  hands  was  agoin  backard  an  f  orrard, 
then  they'd  git  their  faces  orful  close, 
noses  most  touchin'  an  then  they'd  back 
out  agin.  Well  I  got  so  intrusted  watch- 
in'  them  two,  I  never  noticed  right  next 
to  'em  sot  a  laborin'  man;  he  had  on  blue 
jeans  stuffed  inter  his  boots  all  spattered 
with  white  stuff,  looked  like  he  was  a  plas 
terer,  an  he  wore  a  soft  felt  hat  pulled 
down  over  his  eyes.  He  was  sprawled 
out  dozin  quiet  an  cam,  till  all  to  onct  I 


140  MINT  JULEP 

see  him  give  a  start  an  he  sot  right  up 
starin'  at  somethin'  on  me ! 

I  looked  down,  an  there  was  Dick  pokin 
his  head  out  from  under  my  shawl  a  little 
way,  an  lookin  right  over  at  that  man, 
cute  as  could  be.  But  I'll  never  for  git  it, 
all  in  a  suddent,  that  man  in  the  blue 
jeans  had  riz  a  foot  in  the  air,  an  was 
makin  hot  for  the  rear  door. 

He  staggered  orful,  squeelin  snakes! 
lemme  go  —  leme  go, —  men  hollered,  an 
a  stout  lady  near  the  door  fainted  ded 
away. 

It  was  so  dredful  suddint,  I  forgot  I 
had  a  hen  an  rooster  tucked  under  my 
arms,  an  'fore  I  knew  it,  Dick  was  chasin' 
the  brown  hen  through  the  car.  Every 
body  had  riz  up  an  was  sassin  every  one 
else.  Onct  I  see  Dick  light  on  the  He 
brew  gents  Derby,  an  onct  I  see  Par  on 
all  fours  tryin  to  git  him. 

Agin  I  see  Dick  slidin  down  the  He 
brew's  front,  while  that  poor  laborin'  man 
at  the  door,  cried  like  a  child. 

Then  a  short  haired  lady  with  a  man's 


MOVING  THE  HENS       141 

shirt  boosom  on,  riz  up  an  tried  to  hit 
Dick  with  her  umbrel;  I  couldent  stand 
fer  that,  I  jest  sassed  her, —  Says  I  he's 
mine,  I'll  git  him  an  dont  you  dast  tech 
him. 

With  that  I  grabbed  my  skirts  up, 
which  made  'em  all  holler  wuss,  an  then 
an  there,  if  I  do  say  it  William,  for  jest 
two  minutes  Mint  Julep  ran  amick 
through  that  car. 

I  never  heard  so  many  profane  lan 
guages  in  all  my  life,  but  when  I  gits 
through  I  had  Dick  by  the  legs,  while  the 
brown  hen  was  restin'  on  the  Hebrews' 
front. 

The  other  Hebrew  was  f  annin'  a  stout 
lady  with  a  little  card;  he  was  reel  kind 
an  he  kept  a  sayin'  to  her,  its  nodding 
lady,  roosters  do  dem  tings  some  dimes. 
Nice  of  him,  war'nt  it. 

A  big  fat  man  settin  next  to  the  short 
haired  lady,  most  had  hystericks;  he  was 
wipin'  his  face  an  shakin'  tremenjus,  an 
tears  was  streamin'  down  his  face,  he  was 
so  wrot  up.  The  whole  circumstance  was 


142  MINT  JULEP 

puffectly  orful  while  it  lasted,  an  when 
I  sot  down  pantin'  I  see  strong  men 
shakin'  with  fear. 

The  cornducter  was  furus,  onct  he 
shook  his  fist  at  me  an  was  cussin  like 
time;  but  then  they  stopped  the  car  an 
the  laborin'  man  was  took  off.  A  blond 
lady  who  was  chewin  gum,  was  tellin' 
every  one  they  could'nt  fool  her,  she  said 
'twas  plain  as  day  that  man  had  the  hor- 
rers. 

Well  when  all  was  quiet  agin  an  I  had 
Dick  an  the  hen  under  my  arm,  as  every 
one  knew  I  had  a  hen  an  rooster,  I  jest 
put  them  boldly  outside  my  shawl  to  git 
the  air  an  all  to  once  Dick  crowed  rite 
out  spunky  as  could  be.  Every  body 
laffed  fit  to  die,  'cept  the  lady  wot  had 
the  short  hair  an  a  mans  boosom ;  she  shiv 
ered;  I  bet  she  jest  despises  to  see  a 
rooster.  I  have  a  orful  lot  of  respect  for 
Dick,  he  blows  his  trumpit  the  best  he 
knows  how,  an  he  wants  the  whole  world 
to  hear  it. 

Well  after  I'd  been  settin'  a  while  I 


MOVING  THE  HENS       143 

see  the  Hebrew  gent  wot  caught  the 
brown  hen  was  lookin  over  reel  pleasant, 
only  as  he  was  crosseyed  I  couldent  tell 
whether  it  was  at  me  or  Dick  or  the  brown 
hen;  at  last  he  leans  way  over  an  says  to 
me  — 

How  much  you  sell  him  for? 

That's  a  hen  says  I,  thinkin'  he  was 
lookin'  at  it. 

Veil  how  much  you  sell  him  for,  what 
you  take  for  the  two? 

How's  that  says  Par,  scentin'  a  trade 
right  away,  want  ter  buy  poltry  mister, 
I  have  two  baskits  outside. 

Well  I  dunno,  how  much  for  the  bunch, 
says  the  Hebrew. 

Then  I  spoke  up, —  Mister  says  I,  they 
aint  fer  sale,  I  am  jest  takin'  them  to  a 
friend  fer  a  visit,  says  I. 

So-o  says  he,  an  then  he  pulls  out  a 
little  card  an  handed  it  to  Par;  if  you 
change  your  mindt  says  he,  let  me 
know. 

On  the  card  it  said  in  big  letters  writ 
nice  and  plain  like  this  it  said : 


144  MINT  JULEP 


Israel  Sink 

Junk- 

Blosson  Court. 

Well  't  last  we  got  to  Bella's  street 
an  that  cornducter  was  sayin'  terrible  un- 
compliment  things  'bout  us  all  the  way 
out;  we  did'nt  take  no  notice  but  jest 
walked  right  down  to  the  house  an  rang 
the  bell,  an  who  should  come  to  the  door 
but  Mary  Banks.  Old  Si,  wot  kept  the 
hotel,  his  granddarter  from  Farnham. — 
She's  been  helpin  at  Bella's  for  ever  so 
long. 

And  war'nt  Bella  delighted  to  see  us. 
Would  she  keep  the  hens,  says  I. 

'  You  dear  droll  thing,  says  Bella,  of 
course  I  will,  I'd  do  any  thing  for  you 
Mint. 

Would  Henery  Ball  object  says  I. 

Never  says  she,  he  worships  the  groun 
I  walk  on  says  she.  An  its  no  wonder 


MOVING  THE  HENS       145 

William,  Bella  was  a  pretty  gal  allus, 
but  now  she's  more,  she's  a  reglar  raving 
beuty. 

She  tuk  us  all  over  her  house,  It  is 
grand.  I  never  see  anything  like  it  in 
her  parlor;  you  have  ter  wind  your  way 
in  an  out  like  a  mazy  with  statoos  an 
pottery  an  brick-er-brack.  A  gold  cupid 
with  wings  out-spred  was  swingin'  from 
a  hook  in  the  middle  of  the  ceilin,  shootin' 
darts.  Par  dodged,  but  got  hit  twict. 
Par's  tall  yer  know. 

Says  I,  Bella  your  home  is  grand,  an 
you  deserve  it,  you  was  allus  a  good  warm 
hearted  gal,  says  she,  it  only  lacked  a 
baby  an  now  I've  got  two,  thanks  to  you, 
you  dear  Araminta,  says  she;  my  Hen- 
ery  is  just  silly  over  'em  says  she,  why  he 
left  his  factory  this  afternoon  an  has  'em 
both  out  ridin'  in  his  buggy. 

Well  I  was  ticklled  to  hear  that.  Then 
she  goes  out  to  git  us  a  cup  of  tea  an 
me  an  Mary  Banks  got  ter  talkin'  old 
times,  till  Bella  Called  an  ast  her  to  go 


146  MINT  JULEP 

an  git  me  a  crock  of  her  red  currants, 
knowin'  that  I  was  allus  partial  to  her 
way  of  doin'  them  up. 

Your  Par  was  terrible  imprest  by  the 
house  an  by  Bella,  I  could  see  that. 

Aint  Bella  a  handsome  woman  Par, 
says  I. 

Yep,  says  Par,  showy,  but  sound. 
Ding  me,  says  he,  if  I  was  twenty  year 
younger  an  Henery  was  plyin  his  trade 
above,  I'd  go  in  myself,  says  Par.  We 
was  still  laffin  when  Bella  come  in  and 
told  us  to  come  out  to  the  dinin'  room. 

My  lands!  sech  a  good  bite  as  she  had 
got  up  fer  us,  'twarn't  only  a  lunch  Bella 
said,  as  they  had  six  o'clock  dinners;  we 
enjyed  it  I  can  tell  yer,  an  we  talked  lots 
over  old  times. 

Bime-by  Par  and  Jimmy  went  out  in 
the  yard  ter  fix  a  place  fer  the  hens  an 
Bella  takes  me  up  stairs  to  her  room  — 

William  Julep,  a  gold  bed  on  my  word 
of  honor!  I  was  dumb  at  the  site  —  Is 
it  wuth  a  fortune  Bella  says  I,  O  no  says 
she,  lafHn.  Then  she  showed  me  all  her 


MOVING  THE  HENS     147 

julery  an  things  an  says  she  to  me,  Ara- 
minta  Julep  you  an  me  are  the  same  age, 
says  she;  well  no  one  would  ever  know 
it  says  I,  you  look  ten  years  younger  than 
me. 

'Course  I  do  says  she;  you  was  a  nice 
lookin  gal  Mint,  you  allus  had  fine  eyes 
an  was  strait  as  an  arrer,  but  you  havent 
kept  up  says  she.  Now  Araminta  says 
she,  fust  of  all  you've  got  to  wear  your 
hair  diffrent. 

How  can  I  says  I,  my  hair  is  ofFul 
thin,  I'm  allus  in  a  hurry  an  the  quickest 
way  I  can  git  it  up,  the  better,  says  I. 
I  do  go  at  it  like  I  had  a  rake  'stead  of 
a  comb,  says  I. 

It  has  fallen  out  by  the  bushel,  an  like 
the  bad  seed  in  the  Bible,  I  have  gath 
ered  'em  in  bundles  to  burn. 

All  wrong  says  Bella, —  you  must 
brush  it  an  you  should  have  saved  all  your 
combins  an  had  puffs  made  like  mine. 

Says  I,  Bella  Ball,  honor  brite  cross 
yer  heart,  is  that  yours,  or  the  seven  Suth 
erland  Sisters. 


148  MINT  JULEP, 

Well  she  laffed  an  she  says  I'll  tell  you 
a  secret,  Mint,  says  she,  an  she  opened  a 
door  an  I  see  Switches  of  hair,  all  sizes 
a  hangin'.  She  opens  a  draw  an  I  see 
puffs,  an  curls  an  round  hairy  hay-lows, 
enough  to  stuff  a  pillow. 

Mint  says  she,  you've  got  to  git  hair; 
you  owe  it  to  yourself  an  you  owe  it  to 
your  husband  to  git  some  hair. 

Now  says  she,  Hair  is  my  weak  spot, 
every  time  I  go  to  Boston,  I  buy  hair,  I 
simply  cant  help  it,  says  she. 

Now  Mint  says  she,  our  hair  is  the  same 
shade  an  I'm  goin'  to  arrange  a  coffer 
on  you.  Then  William  she  got  me  in 
front  of  her  mirror,  she  twined  ropy  hair 
around  my  head,  she  put  on  a  load  o' 
puffs  with  hair  pins,  an  hangin  down  a 
bunch  o'  curls;  she  called  it  a  wata-fall 
or  catract,  I  disremember.  Then  she  stud 
off  an  kissed  me,  she's  offul  affectionet 
an  coaxin  in  her  ways,  Bella  is. 

Now  you  must  promise  me  that  every 
afternoon  of  your  life,  you'll  fix  up  your 
hair  in  glory;  You  look  like  a  diffrent 


'Mint"  sayn  she  "you've  got   to  git   hair" 


Paie  148 


MOVING  THE  HENS       149 

bein  says  Bella,  an  honest  I  felt  that  I 
did. 

Now  says  she,  you  aint  a  goin  ter  wear 
any  more  bonnets. 

The  idea  of  a  young  woman  like  you 
tyin'  on  a  bonnet;  she  tuk  it  up  —  No 
Bella  says  I,  I  bourt  that  bonnet  to  marry 
William  Julep  says  I  an  it  cost  consid- 
rable,  an  I  like  it. 

Well  says  Bella  you  can  never  tie 
strings  over  all  that  hair  I  put  on  yer,  it 
would  be  ridicalus;  if  you  must  wear  it, 
says  Bella,  let  me  loop  up  the  strings  inter 
cute  little  rosetts,  an  pin  it  on  like  a  hat. 

So  we  got  a  talkin  about  wimmen  an 
wimmen's  bewty  an  William  I  hev  come 
to  the  conclusion  that  any  woman  born 
with  a  nose  can  be  bewtiful. 

In  a  big  city  William  you  can  buy  any 
thing;  wimmen  get  eye-lashes  an  golden 
hair,  a  elegant  shape  an  have  their  toe- 
nails  bewtified.  Bella  Ball  is  the  same, 
an  yit  not  the  same,  but  of  this  I  am  cer 
tain,  if  she  was  a  widder  tomorrer,  which 
I  hope  she  will  never  be  while  she  has 


150  MINT  JULEP 

Henery,  she  could  git  any  moulten  mil 
lionaire  in  America,  an  as  for  her  ever 
goin  abroad, —  I  dont  dast  think  of  it, 
for  they  say  King  Edward  settin  over 
there  on  England,  is  a  reel  nice  gent  wot 
likes  the  ladies  xtremely  well.  Who 
knows  William  wot  might  happen. 
Kingdoms  has  been  thrun  away  for  wuss 
nor  Bella.  Bella  is  bewtiful  William, 
she  is  most  too  bewtiful. 

Well  we  spent  an  offul  nice  visit,  an 
then  we  went. 

Every  body  was  lookin  at  me  in  the 
car.  I  felt  as  if  I  was  carryin'  a  load 
of  hay  on  my  head,  but  your  Par  likes  it. 
P.  I.  L. 

We  told  Bella  about  the  Gent  wantin 
ter  buy  the  poltry ;  she  warnt  surprised  at 
it.  She  says  as  how  a  Hebrew  jest  loves 
to  git  hold  of  a  live  goose  or  any  thing 
in  that  line. 

DEER  WILLIAM, — 

To-day  was  a  very  warm  day  an  I  hur 
ried  up  an  got  my  work  done  and  was 


MOVING  THE  HENS       151 

jest  gittin  ready  to  go  down  to  the  water 
with  par  an  mar  an  the  children  when  who 
walks  into  my  front  door  but  a  man.  I 
had  my  back  to  him  as  I  was  buttoning 
up  Ham  an  I  turns  quick  to  see  who  it 
was  an  there  stood  Hiram  Cuckoo  Backup 
in  his  best  black  suit,  yaller  tie  an  lookin 
natral  as  life. 

;'  Why,  brother,  I'm  right  glad  to  see 
you,  but  wot  ever  pessessed  you  to  leave 
Farnham  at  this  season  of  the  year,"  says  I. 

"  Business,  Mint,"  says  Hiram.  "  I 
had  pretty  important  business  in  Boston 
an  I  thot  I'd  run  in  an  see  you." 

'  Will  William  seein  as  how  he  did'nt 
offer  to  tell  me  wot  the  business  was  I 
wouldent  ask  him  but  I  was  jest  bilin 
with  curiosity  to  know  wot  business  made 
Hiram  Cuckoo  Backup  come  clear  to 
Boston. 

He  agreed  to  stay  over  for  a  few  days 
an  he  was  reel  nice  to  the  childern,  gav 
em  all  pennies,  an  then  sot  down  on  my 
front  porch  to  cool  off,  but  bime-by  he 
got  inter  a  dredful  hot  argyment  with 


152  MINT  JULEP 

your  par  bout  some  man  named  William 
Jennings  O'Brien.  You  know  William 
that  I  told  you  onct  how  Hiram  Cuckoo 
is  quick  tempered  an  has  a  slight  imped- 
alment  in  his  speech.  When  he  is  cam 
you  dont  never  notice  it  but  when  he  git 
xcited  its  orful  bad  cause  he  has  got  a 
most  peculeer  habit  of  raisin  his  right 
leg,  an  his  right  arm  to  onct  when  the 
words  stick  an  seem  to  most  throttle  him. 
Well  Hiram  got  red  in  the  face  praising 
this  O'Brien  man  but  your  par  was  dead 
sot  again  the  gentleman  an  long  last  I 
got  so  dreadful  nervous  I  ran  down  the 
street  an  hot  some  ice-cream  to  cool  Hi 
ram  off.  Hiram  was  alms  quick  tem 
pered  but  I  have  sometimes  thot  it  was 
kind  of  cruel  to  give  him  the  name  my 
par  and  mar  gave  him.  A  name  like  Hi 
ram  Cuckoo  would  make  a  phonographic 
machine  stutter. 

You  see  my  par  had  a  favrit  brother 
named  Hiram,  who  went  to  live  in 
Cuckoo,  Virginny.  He  named  his  fust 
born  Hiram  Cuckoo  an  my  par  just  to 


MOVING  THE  HENS       153 

please  that  brother  away  off  named  his 
own  boy  Hiram  Cuckoo  an  poor  Hiram 
got  into  lots  of  trouble  on  account  of  that 
name. 

I  remember  onct  when  Hiram  was  off 
on  one  of  his  walkin  tours  he  see  a  quarrel 
between  two  farmers  that  came  to  blows 
an  tenny  rate  one  sued  the  other  an  the 
case  came  to  court  and  Hiram  had  to  go 
as  a  witness  an  when  he  gits  on  the  stand 
the  lawyer  feller  says,  whats  yer  whole 
name.  Well  of  course  poor  Hiram  was 
scart  an  kind  a  excited  an  he  couldent  say 
that  name  to  save  his  life.  The  lawyer 
feller  got  mad  an  Hiram  got  madder  an 
last  Hiram  med  a  dive  outer  the  witness 
stand  and  hit  him.  He  was  fined  for  it. 

Well,  William,  this  is  all  from  your 
lovin  MINT. 

P.  I.  L. 

I  hev  ben  puzzlin  my  brains  till  they 
ake  tryin  to  guess  wot  Hiram's  business 
is.  You  know  Hiram  has  a  tidy  fortune 
thanks  to  Peggy  Barnes,  an  not  a  chick 
or  child  to  leave  it  to. 


CHAPTER  XX 

THE  HEALTH  MAN  IS  FOILED 

DEER  WILLIAM 
I  am  all  through  with  keepin' 
hens.     Sorry  as  I  am  to  say  it,  I 
have  come  to  the  conclushon  that  Thana- 
topsis  aint  the  most  comfitable  place  to 
keep  five  hens  an  a  rooster. 

It  was  like  this,  you  see  Bella  Ball  kept 
my  hens  two  weeks,  an  then  Henery  sent 
them  back  in  a  big  wooden  box,  cosy  as 
could  be.  They  arrived  in  the  afternoon 
an  I  put  them  in  their  old  place  in  the 
back  yard.  Well  the  very  next  mornin 
Dick  crowed  as  he  never  crowed  before 
in  his  life  an  Benjamin  Rorer  came  to 
the  winder  in  his  night  shirt,  an  he  threw 
boot- jacks  an  othe?  things  in  my  yard 
tryin  to  hit  that  poor  Dick. 

Me  an  Par  heard  the  racket  an  we  sassed 
154 


HEALTH  MAN  FOILED     155 

him  an  then  Hiram  got  up  an  sassed  him 
too. 

Well  bime-by  after  breakfast  Par  said 
he  thot  'twas  kind  of  foolish  to  be  havin 
trouble  all  the  time  on  account  of  the  hens, 
seein  as  how  Rorer  had  the  law  with  him. 
You  best  git  rid  of  them,  says  Par  to  me, 
but  says  I,  I'll  move  away  first,  wot  good 
would  that  do,  says  Par,  there's  a  Rorer 
in  every  community  says  he, —  well  your 
Par  is  wise  William  an  I  respec  his  opin 
ions,  an  I  thot  it  over,  he  advisin  me 
strong  ter  sell  'em. 

You  just  say  the  word,  Araminta,  says 
Par,  an  I'll  drop  a  post  card  to  the  He 
brew  gentleman  wot  was  so  taken  with 
Dick  that  day  on  the  car,  that  he  offered 
to  buy  the  hull  lot.  Says  I  praps  its  all.fer 
the  best  Par,  go  ahead  an  write  to  him  says 
I,  an  then  an  there  Par  sot  down  an  wrote 
to  the  Hebrew  gent,  that  he  could  buy 
five  hens  an  a  rooster  most  any  time. 

Now  I  was  kinder  sorry  that  Hiram 
Cuckoo  should  have  happened  to  be  vis- 
itin  at  the  house  jest  when  we  was  havin 


156  MINT  JULEP 

the  trouble,  cause  his  temper  gits  to  the 
bilin  pint  on  the  slightest  provocashun; 
an  all  the  time  he  was  eatin  his  breakfast, 
he  was  xpoundin  his  way  to  Par  to  git 
even  with  Benjamin  Rorer.  Well  he 
was  so  powerful  wrot  up  I  see  its  about 
time  to  say  somethin  to  Hiram,  so  I  spoke 
up  an  I  says  to  him, 

Now  look  here,  Hiram  says  I,  you 
mustent  think  no  more  about  this  affair, 
this  aint  Farnham  an  folks  are  diffrent 
here, —  it  aint  Christian  to  be  talkin  of 
gettin  even,  remember  Hiram  says  I, 
Vengence  is  mine,  sayth  the  Lord.  Let 
you  an  me  be  charitable,  Hiram,  who 
knows  but  this  Benjamin  Rorer  may  have 
some  secreet  sorrer  nawrin  at  his  witals, 
so  that  he  cant  stand  a  rooster  crowin. 
He  is  a  lone  man  Hiram,  an  who  knows 
wot  akes  an  longins  may  pesess  his  sole. 
But  taint  no  use,  you  might  as  well  talk 
to  the  habitants  of  a  graveyard  as  ter  try 
to  make  a  impression  on  my  brother  Hi 
ram  or  git  him  to  cool  off  his  rath. 

Well  William  that  same  afternoon  sech 


HEALTH  MAN  FOILED     157 

a  thing  happent  as  I'll  never  forgit  long 
as  I  live. 

The  childern  was  all  down  to  the  water 
with  your  Mar,  for  wich  I  must  say  I  was 
thankful,  an  Par  an  Hiram  was  havin  it 
out  on  the  front  porch  about  Mr.  O'Brien 
an  free  silver. 

I  was  dustin  in  the  parlor,  when  all  at 
onct  the  two  Hebrew  gentlemen  wot  was 
on  the  car  that  day  we  went  to  Chelsea, 
walked  rite  into  my  front  gate.  They 
was  reel  nice  an  familiar  to  Par  an  he  gave 
them  a  introduc  to  Hiram  Cuckoo. 
You'd  most  think  they  was  old  friends, 
they  shook  so  sosial  like. 

Well  I  stept  out  an  said  how  do,  an 
talked  a  little  an  bime-by  we  all  went  into 
my  back  yard  to  look  at  the  hens. 

Long  last  we  came  to  terms,  the  price 
was  paid,  an  then  I  told  them  to  go  into 
my  parlor  with  Par  to  wait  while  me  an 
Hiram  started  to  git  the  hens  ready  for 
them. 

We  got  Dick  an  the  hens  into  the 
kitchen  when  I  happent  to  think  of  the 


158  MINT  JULEP 

big  box  wot  Henery  Ball  had  sent  'em 
home  in. 

I  sent  Hiram  down  the  cellar  for  it,  an 
while  he  was  gone  I  stept  over  to  the 
winder,  an  who  should  be  standin  in  my 
back  yard  but  Benjamin  Rorer  an  a 
strange  gent. 

Like  a  flash  it  came  to  me  that  it  was 
the  Health  man  for  the  hens,  an  I  made 
a  dive  an  grabbed  up  those  hens,  two  at 
a  time,  an  I  ran  an  threw  'em  into  the 
parlor  at  Par  an  the  Hebrew  Gents. 
Them  two  strange  men  dident  know  what 
ter  make  of  me  doin  sech  a  thing,  they 
jumped  an  the  hens  made  a  orful  fuss, 
cacklin  an  flyin,  but  I  was  reel  excited, 
says  I  keep  em  out  of  sight, —  hide  em,— 
quick,  the  Health  man  is  comin.  Then 
I  went  out  quick  an  shut  the  door. 

It  was  kinder  hard  I  know  to  shut  three 
grown  men,  five  hens  an  a  ofFul  stirrin 
rooster,  in  one  little  room,  but  it  was  a 
desprit  case  an  had  to  be. 

Well  I  got  back  into  the  kitchen  jest 
as  the  door  opened  an  that  cantankerous 


Rorer  an  the  Health  feller  walked  in,  an 
trouble  allus  does  come  in  a  heep,  Wil 
liam,  for  no  sooner  did  they  set  foot  in 
that  kitchen,  than  my  cellar  door  opened 
and  Hiram  Cuckoo  sticks  in  his  head, 
draggin  the  big  box  behind  him. 

But  Glory!  when  he  sees  Rorer  he  lets 
that  box  go  slam  bang  down  the  cellar 
stairs,  an  in  he  falls  rite  on  his  stummick, 
in  his  haste  to  git  into  that  room;  but  he 
gits  on  his  feet  quick,  w-w-w  wot  d-d-d-d- 
dy  yer  w-w-  want  h-h-  here,  says  Hiram 
to  Rorer,  trying  to  stiddy  hisself,  an  hold 
hisself .  in  like. 

Th-th-  those  d-d-d-  dam  hens,  says 
Rorer. 

O  the  pity  of  it  William,  that  Hiram 
Cuckoo  Backup  did  not  know  that  Ben 
jamin  Rorer  had  a  impedelment  jest  like 
hisself,  but  he  did  not. 

D-d-d-d  dont  d-d-dare  m-m-mock  m-me 

you  white  1-1-livered  the  rest  I  will 

not  write  William,  because  it  would  be 
wrong.  You  are  not  a  profan  man,  nor 
yit  a  heavy  talker,  enufF  to  say  that  the 


160  MINT  JULEP 

words  stuck  in  his  throt,  which  was  right 
seein  as  they  were  not  good  words.  But 
I  see  that  Hiram  had  reached  that  stage 
of  his  impedelment,  where  he  had  to  raise 
a  leg,  an  I  knew  there  was  goin  ter  be 
offul  trouble. 

I  allus  think  quick,  I  ran  to  the  door 
an  threw  it  open,  go  —  go  —  says  I  to 
Rorer  and  the  Health  Gent  who  looked 
orf ul  dazed ;  go  —  go  —  says  I  while 
there  is  yit  time, —  he's  armored  says  I 
an  not  responsibel,  well  they  got  out  quick 
into  the  yard;  I  cast  one  look  at  Hiram 
Cuckoo,  still  rastlin  hard  with  hisself .  I 
rushed  to  the  parlor  door  an  opened  it. 
O  sech  a  sad  sight  William,  my  foldin 
bed  was  let  down,  they  had  shooed  the 
poltry  under  it  an  Par  an  them  Hebrews 
was  all  spread  out  guardin  them.  Git 
them  hens  out  an  go,  go  quick  says  I,  or 
you'll  lose  them. 

The  cross-eyed  feller  threw  up  his 
hands,  but  he  closed  in  on  Dick,  an  the 
other  Hebrew  lay  on  his  stummick  an 


HEALTH  MAN  FOILED    161 

pulls  out  two  hens  from  under  the  bed. 

Par  grabbed  up  two  more  an  I  picked 
up  the  last,  an  run  her  rite  into  Hirams 
arms,  who  was  standin  swettin  at  the  door. 

Take  her  Hiram  says  I  or  Rorer  will 
git  her,  hes  layin  for  her ;  I  knew  by  sayin 
them  words  that  Hiram  Cuckoo  would 
never  let  go  that  hen  while  he  had  life. 
Then  I  opened  my  front  door  an  got  them 
men  out  with  the  hens. 

The  Hebrew  went  out  caushus  like  till 
all  to  onct  he  spies  Rorer  an  the  Health 
Gent  comin  out  of  the  yard,  then  he  made 
a  dash  down  the  street  as  if  twas  fer  his 
life,  holdin  that  rooster  on  his  chist  with 
both  arms. 

The  other  Hebrew,  an  Pa  an  Hiram, 
runnin  like  mad  behind  him. 

I  was  so  wrot  up  an  excited  that  I  ran 
to  the  gate,  a-ringin  my  hands,  an  jest 
then  a  butcher  man  came  along  in  his 
team;  he  stops  an  looks  fust  at  me,  an 
then  after  the  men  runnin  with  the  hens, 
an  all  to  onct,  like  a  ragin  id  jit,  he  hollers 


162  MINT  JULEP 

out,  perlice,  perlice  till  he  was  red  in  the 
face.  That  started  a  lot  of  boys  after  Par 
an  the  Hebrews,  shoutin  Stop  Theef. 

Well  William  Julep  I  got  terrible  ex 
cited,  I  wanted  to  tell  those  bad  boys  that 
the  men  warnt  theeves,  so  I  started  an 
ran  as  fast  as  I  could  down  the  street,  an 
O  William,  in  a  minute,  the  hull  town  was 
out,  chasin  those  poor  incent  men,  as  if 
they  was  huntin  down  wild  beasts.  I'll 
never  forgit  it  to  my  dyin  day,  an  I 
prayed  that  no  one  would  ketch  Hiram 
or  try  to  take  his  hen  away. 

At  last,  O  joy,  at  the  corner  of  the 
street  a  car  came  along  an  stopped  to  let 
out  a  lady, —  I  see  Hiram  git  on  the  car 
fust  of  all  with  his  hen,  an  Par  an  the 
Hebrews  pile  rite  in  after  him. 

I  stood  there  pantin  on  the  corner,  with 
a  crowd  around  me  like  I  was  one  of  them 
Salvation  gals,  an  all  of  a  sudden,  a  big 
perliceman  came  rite  up  twirlin  his 
stick, — 

Whats  the  matter  says  he,  but  before 


HEALTH  MAN  FOILED     163 

I  could  git  breath  to  answer,  one  of  those 
bad  boys  says,  they  pinched  the  loidys 
birds. 

With  that  the  big  perliceman  turned  to 
run  f  er  that  car  to  arest  those  poor  hunted 
Hebrews.  But  I  had  presents  of  mind 
to  grab  hold  of  his  coat  tails,  dont  go 
mister  I  hollers,  there  not  hurtin  that  pol- 
try  a  mite, —  they  bot  an  paid  fer  them 
an  they  cant  help  pinchin  them  a  little. 
Says  I  let  the  poor  men  be  mister, —  they 
have  been  hounded  like  wild  beasts. 
They  paid  for  them,  paid  cash  fer  five 
hens  an  a  rooster.  Then  what  in  time 
are  you  chasin  them  for,  says  the  perlice 
man.  Well  I  xplained  a  little  seein  as 
how  he  was  a  officer  of  the  law,  an  then 
I  went  home. 

Benjamin  Rorer  an  the  Health  Gent 
was  no  wheres  to  be  seen,  which  was  a 
good  thing  for  them, —  for  I  was  mad 
William. 

If  I  do  say  it,  the  Backup  temper  is 
orful,  an  I  have  my  share  of  it.  I  dont 


164  MINT  JULEP 

git  plum  crazy  like  Hiram  Cuckoo,  cause 
my  speech  stays  limber,  but  I  was  cer 
tainly  mad  that  day. 

An  I  had  provocashun  goodness  knows. 

Par  an  Hiram  got  to  Thanatopsis  an 
hour  later.  They  said  the  Hebrew  Gents 
got  home  safe  and  sound  with  the  hens; 
but  I  am  all  through  keepin  hens,  while 
I  am  livin  here. 

YOUR  LOVIN  MINT. 
P.  I.  L. 

Aint  it  strange  when  you  stop  to  think 
of  Dick  an  those  hens  travellin  on  the 
cars  twict  to  take  up  their  abod  in  Chelsea. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

THE  QUEEN  o'  SHEBA  APPEARS 

DEER  WILLIAM, — 
There  is  lots  goin  on  here  but 
fust  of  all  I  must  git  to  the  part 
that  is  leadin  slow  but  sure  to  the  mistery 
that  I  hev  allus  felt  has  been  a  hovrin 
over  Molly  Burt. 

To-day  I  was  scrubin  the  porch,  when 
a  big  ottermorbeel  drew  up  an  stopped 
at  Thanatopsis,  an  a  lady  stepped  out, 
sech  a  stilish  lady  I  never  see  in  all  my 
life.  Not  that  she  was  titivated  in  silk 
or  satin  not  at  all,  she  had  on  the  plainest 
dress  I  ever  see,  but  it  fitted  her  like  she 
was  born  into  it,  an  she  held  her  head  in 
sech  a  way.  My  lands,  an  ter  clap  the 
climax  she  had  a  pair  of  specks  on  a  han 
dle  that  she  held  up  bfore  her  eyes,  an  she 
stud  outside  the  gate  an  studied  the  sign 
165 


166  MINT  JULEP 

over  my  front  door  as  if  she  was  readin 
the  price  of  admission  to  the  circus.  I  will 
admit  William  that  I  forgot  myself  an 
stared  tell  I  see  she  has  turned  the  specs 
on  me  an  was  lookin  at  Mint  Julep  as  if 
she  was  a  specimin.  Well  I  aint  no 
specimin.  I'm  a  freeborn  American 
woman  an  I  dident  jest  like  the  way  she 
turned  those  speck  on  me  an  I  stud  up 
an  walked  to  the  gate. 

"  Good  morning,  missus,"  says  I,  reel 
naborly. 

Well,  William  her  shoulders  went  up 
an  the  handle  specks  went  up  an  she 
looked  me  all  over  again. 

"  You  have  the  advantage,"  says  she. 

"  Of  course  I  hev,"  says  I,  "  you  need- 
ent  feel  bad  bout  it.  My  manners  comes 
from  the  inside,  they  are  never  put  on 
or  taken  off  to  suit  the  occasun,"  says  I, 
"  they  are  alms  the  same  an  I'm  sorry 
that  yours  aint  the  same  brand.  Now," 
says  I,  "your  sight  pears  like  aint  good 
for  you  have  been  lookin  me  over  as  if  you 
was  tryin  to  find  somethin  that  warnt 


THE  QUEEN  O'  SHEBA      167 

visible  to  the  nakid  eye,  wot  is  it?"  says  I. 

Well  William,  she  dropped  them  specks 
quick,  they  was  attached  to  a  chain  on  her 
neck  an  they  dangled  where  she  dropped 
em. 

"Madam,"  says  she,  "Is  there  a  Miss 
Burthere?" 

"What,  Molly  Burt?  To  be  sure  there 
is  an  if  you  know  that  sweet  girl  you're 
welcome  specks  an  all."  An  I  opened  the 
gate  an  she  walked  in  like  the  Queen  o 
Sheba,  an  I  escorted  her  up-stairs  an  I 
knocked  on  Molly's  door,  but  just  then, 
William,  there  was  a  dull  thud  behind. 
Ham  an  Eg  had  started  to  follow  me  up 
stairs  and  had  landed  on  their  heads.  I 
ran  down  to  see  if  they  was  kilt  or  maimed 
an  the  Queen  o  Sheba  went  inside.  Well, 
bime-by  I  had  to  go  into  the  entry  again 
to  keep  Mamie  an  Tommy  from  payin  a 
visit  to  Molly.  You  see  she  takes  them 
in  her  room  sometimes  an  gives  them 
pretty  boxes  an  things  an  they  never  knew 
she  had  compny,  an  was  way  up  at  the 
head  of  the  stairs,  and  while  I  was  calling 


168  MINT  JULEP 

them  down  in  a  loud  whisper  I  heard 
Molly  say  plain  as  day,  "  home,  I  never 
had  a  home.  You  were  abroad  all  the 
years  that  I  needed  one  most.  My  home 
was  fashionable  boarding  schools,  where 
I  existed  from  one  weary  year  to  another, 
eating  my  very  heart  out  for  loneliness. 
Why  this  little  cottage  has  been  my  first 
glimpse  of  what  home  might  be."  William 
I  did  not  wait  to  hear  any  more.  I  got 
the  children  down  stairs  and  I  went  into 
the  kitchen  to  do  my  work.  But  that 
woman  was  up  there  a  powerful  long  time 
William  an  bimeby  I  went  into  the  entry 
to  git  Ham  an  I  heard  Molly  sobbin  as 
if  her  heart  was  breakin.  It  stirred  me 
all  up,  William,  for  I  hev  grown  to 
love  that  girl  as  if  she  was  my  own.  She's 
so  simple  an  lovin  in  her  ways,  so  willin 
an  helpful  an  sweet  that  the  sound  of  her 
weepin  set  my  heart  thumpin  queer  like. 
I  was  filled  with  animosity  for  that  fe 
male,  be  she  ever  so  like  Queen  Sheba,  an 
it  came  to  me  that  I  hadent  ever  axed  her, 
her  name  or  business,  sposin  she  was  a 


THE  QUEEN  O'  SHEBA      169 

enemy  of  that  gal.  There  had  heen  a 
somethin  hangin  over  Molly  Burt  ever 
sense  she  came  to  me  an  as  she  did  not  ap 
pear  to  have  any  natral  gardeens,  wasent 
it  my  business  I  argyed  to  myself  to  watch 
out  for  her  intrusts,  an  not  be  havin  fe 
males  come  around  that  made  her  weep 
an  sobb  an  when  I  came  to  this  conclushun 
I  went  boldly  up  them  stairs  an  knocked 
but  bless  yer  they  was  so  terrible  excited 
inside  they  never  heard  and  I  hear  Molly 
say  "  I  shall  never  marry  him." 

;'  What,"  cried  the  other,  "  would  you 
refuse  to  do  this  for  me  after  all  I  have 
done  for  you.  I  have  taken  your  moth 
er's  place,  remember  that,  Molly,  and  I 
am  doing  it  all  for  your  own  welfare." 

"  My  mother  would  never  try  to  force 
me  to  marry  a  man  I  loathed,"  said  Molly. 
Then  the  Queen  o  Sheba  began  to  weep 
an  plead.  '  You  must,  Molly,  you  owe 
it  to  me,  to  your  self,  to  everything  to 
marry  this  man,"  says  she.  Would  you 
see  me  a  beggar,  Molly,  cast  into  the 
street  without  a  penny." 


170  MINT  JULEP 

"  No,  no,   no,"  says  Molly,   "  I  have 
plenty,  take  all  I  have,  it  is  yours." 
Well,  William,  with  that,  the  Queen 

0  Sheba  began  to  cry  somethin  terrible. 
"  Oh,"    she    says,    "  forgive    me,    Molly, 
yours  is  gone  too.     I  did  not  mean  to  do 
it.     I  was  led  on  an  tempted.     I  thought 
it  was  for  your  good.     I  invested  it  with 
the  rest.     Say  you  forgive  me,  Molly." 

Well  I  knocked  again  but  they  never 
heard,  an  then  Molly  gets  calm.  "  There 
is  nothing  to  forgive,"  says  she,  "  I  dont 
care  a  snap  for  the  money.  If  it  were  not 
that  it  would  be  helpful  to  you  now  I 
would  be  glad,  glad,  that  it  is  gone." 

"  How  can  I  face  the  world  in  want," 
sobbed  that  woman,  "  Oh,  the  pity  of  it, 
the  horror." 

Well,  William,  she  was  cryin,  an  my 
heart  was  beatin,  but  I  see  that  she  was  no 
enemy  an  it  was  none  of  my  business,  so 

1  swallowed  a  lump  in  my  throat  an  went 
down  stairs  to  do  my  work.     An  at  last, 
oh,  sech  a  long,  long  time  I  hear  talkin 
on  the  stairs  an  out  I  went  again  into 


Molly  Burt 


171 


THE  QUEEN  O'  SHEBA      171 

the  entry  an  the  Queen  o  Sheba  was  jest 
goin  an  my  lands  her  face  was  all  smiles, 
she  was  feelin  so  good  natured  thet  she 
forgot  to  hold  up  the  specks  with  the  han 
dle  when  she  sees  me,  and  at  the  door  she 
says  to  Molly,  standin  there  orful  pale, 
"  Good-bye,  dear,  be  sure  and  come 
early." 

Then  she  gits  into  the  ottermorbeel  an 
the  shover  shoved  off,  and  she  looks  back 
as  smilin  an  self -satis  fyin  as  if  she  had 
not  a  care  in  the  world,  an  Molly  slid  out 
an  stood  on  that  little  porch  behind  the 
honey  suckle  vine,  an  gazed,  an  gazed,  an 
gazed  at  jest  nothin  an  all  to  onct  she  cov 
ered  her  face  with  her  hands  an  cried  as 
if  her  heart  would  break.  Well  I  let  her 
cry  a  spell  but  at  last  I  couldent  stand  it 
no  longer,  William,  and  I  went  out  an  put 
my  arm  around  her,  "  Molly,"  says  I, 
"  what's  troublin  you,  You  aint  never 
told  me  your  business,"  says  I,  "  an  no 
more  have  I  ast  it,"  says  I,  "  but  we're  all 
humans,"  says  I,  "  an  the  Good  Book  says 
we  should  bear  one  another's  burdens. 


172  MINT  JULEP, 

Dont  tell  me  if  you  dont  want  to,  Molly," 
says  I,  "  but  sometimes  it  makes  us  feel 
better  to  tell  some  one  about  our  troubles 
an  things  goin  wrong.  I  hate  to  see  you 
f  eelin  bad,  Molly,  cant  you  tell  me  like  I 
was  your  mother." 

"  Oh,  I  cant  to-day,  Mrs.  Julep,"  says 
Molly,  gittin  calmer,  "  but  I  will  tell  you 
all  another  time.  I  am  afraid  you  will 
think  me  a  very  silly  girl,"  she  tried  to 
smile  at  me  an  hide  the  tears,  but  they  just 
welled  up  in  her  blue  eyes  and  rolled 
down  her  cheeks  in  big  drops. 

"  I  would  jest  like  to  ask  one  question, 
Molly,"  says  I,  "an  that  is  are  you  goin 
to  leave  here." 

"  Not  to-day  Mis.  Julep,"  says  she,  "  I 
would  like  to  stay  for  a  few  days  longer 
if  you  dont  mind." 

;'  The  longer  you  stay  the  better  I'll 
like  it,"  says  I,  "  and  with  that  she  arose 
and  went  in  quiet  like  and  up-stairs. 

Oh  what  a  pitty  to  see  a  pretty  crea 
ture  like  this  at  a  time  of  life  when  the 
whole  world  orter  be  a  smile  grieven  an 


THE  QUEEN  O'  SHEBA      173 

pinein.  There  is  something  wrong  some- 
wheres,  William,  of  that  I'm  sure,  but  it 
aint  Molly  Burt  wotever  it  is,  wotever  the 
mistery,  she  is  sufferin  for  others  of  that 
I'm  sure.  Your  own, 

MINT. 


CHAPTER  XXII 

THE  MYSTERY  DEEPENS 

DEER  WILLIAM,— 
The  very  morning  that  the 
Queen  o  Sheba  had  called  on 
Molly  Burt  and  Molly  had  felt  so  bad 
that  same  afternoon  the  ottermorbeel 
drew  up  again  an  it  had  not  been  watin 
long  when  Molly  came  down  stairs.  O, 
she  looked  jest  like  a  picture.  She  was 
all  in  white,  but  her  face  was  whiter  than 
the  dress  she  had  on.  I  went  into  the 
entry.  ;'  Wait  a  minute,  Molly,"  says  I, 
"  I'll  git  a  bunch  of  pansies,"  says  I, 
"  they'll  give  a  little  dash  of  color  to 
your  dress,"  says  I. 

Well  she  came  into  my  settin  room  an 
I  got  her  a  reel  pretty  boquet,  an  I  tried 
to  cheer  her  up  while  I  was  pinnin  it  on, 
"  you're  dress  is  awful  pretty,"  says  I, 


THE  MYSTERY  DEEPENS     175 

"  an  becomin..  You  look  lovely  in  white, 
Molly,"  says  I. 

"  I  wish  it  was  black,"  says  Molly. 

Well  I  tried  to  lafF  at  that  William 
jest  to  spunk  her  up  a  bit,  "  black,"  says 
I,  "  why  any  one  would  think  to  hear  you 
say  that  you  was  a  goin  to  a  funeral." 

"  I  am,"  says  she,  "  to-night  I  bury  all 
my  hopes  of  future  happiness."  She 
looked  terrible  sad  an  I  jest  started  won- 
drin  wot  she  could  mean  an  at  last  she 
says,  "I'm  going  to  a  dinner  party,  that 
is  all,  dear,  Mis  Julep."  After  a  minute, 
she  added,  "  but  to-night  I  am  going  to 
promise  to  marry  a  man  I  abhor." 

'  Then  you  are  going  to  do  a  grievous 
wrong,  Molly  Burt,"  says  I,  "  to  him  an 
to  yourself." 

"  Not  to  him,  not  to  him,"  says  Molly, 
quick,  "he  knows  it  well,  he  is  willing  to 
take  me  at  any  price." 

"  Molly,"  says  I,  "  dont  you  do  it,  you'll 
regret  it  long  as  you  live,  if  you  do." 

"  I  must,  dear  friend,"  says  she. 
"  There's  been  an  awful  conflict  between 


176  MINT  JULEP 

love  and  duty  and  duty  has  won,  not  that 
I  deserve  any  credit  for  it,"  she  went  on 
softly.  "  I  am  not  doing  it  willingly 
at  all.  Oh  no,  not  the  least  bit  willingly 
though  sometimes  it  seems  as  if  I  just 
don't  care  and  so  Mrs.  Julep  I  am  going 
to  sell  myself  to-night  for  a  little  piece  of 
paper." 

"  Molly  Burt,"  says  I,  "  wot  ever  do 
you  mean?" 

"  Only  this,"  she  went  on  bitterly,  "  the 
woman  to  whom  I  owe  a  debt  has  lost  the 
only  thing  she  cares  for  in  this  world, 
wealth,  she  was  a  rich  woman,  Mrs.  Julep, 
and  she  invested  all  her  money  in  this  very 
Beruba  Plantation  Co,  that  has  caused  so 
much  sorrow.  She  not  only  invested  her 
own  money,  she  took  most  of  mine*  hop 
ing  to  pay  it  back,  ten-fold.  Well,  she 
holds  a  check  for  the  entire  sum  of  money 
invested  and  when  I  give  my  word  to 
night  to  marry  this  man,  he  will  sign  that 
check  and  pay  her  every  penny.  It  is  a 
bargain,  dont  you  see,"  she  said,  with  a 


THE  MYSTERY  DEEPENS      177 

bitter  little  laugh,  and  then  suddenly  she 
covered  her  face  and  wept  bitterly. 

"  Molly,"  said  I,  "  dont  cry,  it  cuts  me 
like  a  knife  to  see  you  feelin  like  this," 
says  I,  "  its  all  wrong,  its  wicked  an  on- 
natral.  I'd  like  to  see  the  woman  git  her 
money  back,"  says  I,  "  out  of  that  terri 
ble  Beruba  Company,  but  not  at  any  sech 
price,  you  have  no  right  to  sacrifice  your 
self,  Molly,"  says  I. 

Then  she  sighed.  William  how  that 
poor  girl  sighed,  but  she  stud  up,  Wil 
liam,  and  she  drew  on  her  wraps  an  she 
was  gone,  as  there  was  a  queer  sinkin  of 
my  heart  as  I  watched  her  an  I  put  the 
children  to  bed,  an  I  wated  an  wated  an 
wated,  settin  there  at  the  window  behind 
that  honeysuckle  vine,  an  quite  late  it  was 
when  the  otter  drew  up  to  Thanatopsis 
an  a  tall  man  in  evening  dress  steps  out 
an  he  helps  Molly  out.  It  was  half -moon 
light  but  I  did  not  get  a  look  at  his  face 
because  of  the  vine,  but  Molly  seemed  to 
hurry  away  from  him,  He  was  right  at 


178  MINT  JULEP 

her  heels  and  at  the  porch  she  stopped  an 
said:  "Good  night,  Mr.  Somethin "  I 
couldent  catch  his  name,  sounded  like 
Trend.  "  Good  night,  Molly,"  says  he, 
an  then  he  caught  her  hand  an  bent  over 
to  kiss  it,  but  Molly  snatched  it  away 
quick  an  like  a  flash  she  was  up  the  stairs. 
I  wouldent  be  sure  but  it  seemed  as  if  I 
heard  a  low  kind  or  sarcastic  laugh  from 
the  man  as  he  stood  an  looked  after  her. 
However  he  turned  quick  on  his  heel  an 
got  into  the  otter  an  went  off. 

Your  lovin  and  sorrowin 

AEAMINTA  JULEP 


MYSTERY  DEEPENS — (Continued) 

DEER  WILLIAM, — 
The  mistery  is  gittin  deeper  an 
deeper.     The  morning  after  Molly 
went  in  the  ottermorbeel  to  that  dinner 
party  I  went  to  see  Mr.  Storey  in  his  of 
fice.     Mis  McPeak  had  been  to  see  him 
an  had  spoke  for  me  but  I  wanted  to  hear 
from  his  own  lips  jest  wot  he  thot  about 
the  chances  of  me  gittin  back  my  money. 

Well  he  was  reel  pleased  to  see  me  an 
I  had  a  nice  long  talk  with  him  about  it 
an  jest  when  I  was  goin  I  told  him  I 
trusted  him  cause  Molly  Burt  did,  an  had 
come  to  him  cause  she  had  given  him  sech 
a  good  recommend.  Well  he  looked  orf ul 
pleased  at  that  an  seein  as  he  was  sech  a 
good  friend  to  Molly  I  knew  hed  be 
sorry  to  hear  that  her  money  was  gone  too 
179 


180  MINT  JULEP 

in  that  dreadful  Beruba  thing  so  I  told 
him.  Well  William  Julep  his  whole  face 
lit  up  you'd  most  think  he  had  heard  good 
news  stead  of  bad.  Are  you  quite  sure  of 
this  Mis  Julep,  says  he.  Positive,  says 
I.  I  had  it  from  Molly's  own  lips  yester 
day,  says  I. 

Well  William  that  very  afternoon  I 
was  in  my  settin  room  alone  as  the  chil 
dren  was  gone  to  the  water  with  mar  an 
par  an  Hiram.  Pretty  soon  Molly  comes 
along  an  opens  the  gate.  Well  my  blinds 
were  closed  but  I  couldent  help  seein  her. 
I  jest  love  to  look  at  Molly  Burt,  she's 
so  pretty  an  her  cloes  seems  to  set  on  her 
diffrent  from  most  gals  an  tenny  rate  she 
had  only  reached  the  porch,  when  the  gate 
clicks  again  and  there  was  Mr.  Storey. 
Molly  turned  an  looked  so  surprised  I 
thot  ,she'd  drop,  but  he  came  right  up  an 
he  says,  "  Molly,"  an  she  says  "  Jerry," 
an  then  he  tuk  her  hand  an  held  it  an  I 
could  see  the  color  comin  in  the  gals  face. 
Well  says  I  to  myself  it  looks  like  they 
was  sweethearts.  If  them  two  aint  in  love 


MYSTERY  DEEPENS       181 

with  each  other  I  dont  know  the  symbols, 
says  I,  an  then  it  came  to  me  that  it  was 
only  the  night  before  that  she  had  gone 
to  that  party  to  give  her  word  to  marry 
another  man.  O,  the  pity  of  it,  here  was 
a  reel,  manly  young  man  that  I  could  see 
jest  thot  the  world  of  her  why  hadent  Mr. 
Jeremiah  spoken  fust,  but  perhaps  he  did, 
how  did  I  know,  an  then  like  a  flash  I  re 
membered  how  his  face  lit  up  that  very 
morning  when  he  heard  her  money  was 
gone,  an  he  says  to  me,  are  you  quite  sure, 
an  he  had  lost  no  time  in  gittin  to  see  her, 
and  tenny  rate,  I  was  sore  puzzled,  an  I 
couldent  jest  figger  it  all  out  an  as  they 
decided  to  sit  down  on  the  settee,  I  got 
right  up  an  went  into  the  kitchen  or  I 
would  have  been  a  eaves-dropper  to  have 
stayed  as  I  could  not  help  hearin  every 
word  they  said  to  each  other. 

Well,  while  I  was  busy  at  my  work 
about  an  hour  later,  I  happened  to  go 
out  into  the  yard  an  Mis  McPeak  came 
to  the  fense  an  told  me  that  Scotty  told 
her  that  Orrin  Feather,  the  head  of  that 


182  MINT  JULEP 

Beruba  was  going  to  be  put  to  jail  for 
fraud. 

'  You  dont  tell  me,"  says  I,  an  then  I 
told  her  that  the  lawyer  Mr.  Jeremiah 
was  on  the  front  porch  with  Molly  Burt. 

Likely  he  came  down  to  tell  her,  says 
I,  for  she  has  lost  her  money  in  Feather's 
schemes  as  well  as  you  an  me.  Just  with 
that  I  heard  the  gate  click  an  I  see  Mr. 
Storey  goin  out.  He  walked  away  fast 
an  never  looked  back.  Well  I  was  orful 
anxious  to  tell  Molly  about  that  man 
Feather  so  in  I  ran  an  out  to  the  front 
porch  to  Molly.  She  was  settin  on  the 
bench,  and  I'll  never  forgit  the  look  on 
that  gal's  face.  It  was  as  if  all  that  was 
sweet  an  good  in  life  had  suddenly  gone 
from  her  for-ever. 

At  first  she  never  noticed  me  but  after 
a  moment  she  turned  and  smiled  at  me. 

"  I  think  I'll  go  up  stairs  now  and  pack 
my  things,  Mrs.  Julep.  I  am  sorry  to 
say  that  I  leave  here  to-morrow." 

"  I'm  sorry  too,"  says  I,  an  then  thinkin 
to  cheer  her  up  a  bit  an  git  her  intrusted, 


MYSTERY  DEEPENS       183 

I  says,  "  did  Mr.  Storey  tell  you  the  lat 
est  about  the  Beruba  Plantation  Co?" 

"  No,  he  never  mentioned  it,  what  is  the 
latest,  Mrs.  Julep?" 

"  Why,"  says  I,  "  that  man  Feather  at 
the  head  of  it,  is  going  to  be  put  in  jail  for 
fraud." 

Well,  William  Julep  I  had  hardly  got 
them  words  outer  my  mouth,  when  Mollie 
Burt  fainted  dead  away. 

Mebbe  twas  the  heat.  I  dont  know, 
but  be  that  as  it  is,  she  has  looked  poorly 
for  some  time  so  I  jest  gethered  thet  poor 
child  up  an  put  her  to  bed  an  tended  her 
with  my  own  hands.  Well  the  next  day 
a  high  fever  sot  in  an  I  hed  to  call  in  the 
docter,  an  later  when  she  cammed  down  I 
ast  her  if  there  warnt  some  relative  as 
she'd  like  to  see.  I  said  as  how  they  ought 
to  know  she  was  so  sick,  an  tenny  rate 
William  at  last  she  gave  me  the  address 
of  her  ant  Mrs  Lida  Ryerson  an  tomer- 
rer  I'm  goin  to  git  mar  an  Bess  Toby  to 
stay  with  Molly  an  I'll  go  an  see  her  ant 
if  I'm  livin. 


184  MINT  JULEP 

But  I  do  feel  thet  I'm  on  the  track  of 
that  mistery  whatever  it  is,  at  last. 
In  hast 

MINT. 
P.  i.  1. 

I'm  jest  pinein  to  git  you  William  so 
as  I  can  talk  this  to  you,  cause  theres  lots 
you  cant  set  down  in  pen  an  ink. 


CHAPTER  XXIVi 

MINT  BREAKS  UP  THE  BERUBA  STOCKHOLD 
ERS*  MEETING 

MY  DEERLY  BELOVIN  HTJSBEND., 
Shall  I  ever  forgit  all  that  has 
expired  sense  I  wrote  you  that 
last  letter. 

Well  I  started  out  the  very  next  day  to 
see  Molly's  ant,  mis  Ryerson.  I  found 
the  street  an  number  all  right,  the  house 
has  a  brown  stone  front  on  a  reel  stylish 
street,  but  William  Julep  jest  as  I  was 
goin  to  go  up  them  steps  the  door  opened 
an  a  man  came  outer  mis  Ryersons  house. 
I  jest  gave  him  one  look  an  I  knew  him 
an  I  would  have  known  him  if  twas  in 
the  bottomless  pit.  William  that  man 
was  the  shoe  string  feller  an  I  vum  I  for 
got  all  about  miss  Burt  an  my  errant 
185 


186  MINT  JULEP, 

an  I  jest  turned  an  follered  him  every; 
step  he  tuk. 

I  had  quite  a  walk  you  bet,  an  onct  I 
allmost  lost  him  at  a  crossin  an  came  near 
puttin  a  fat  man's  eyes  out  with  my  um- 
brell  thet  I  carried  under  my  arm,  but  I 
kept  his  gray  tweed  back  in  sight  an  at 
last  I  was  rewarded  for  he  turns  into  a 
big  buildin,  an  in  I  went  after  him,  an 
follered  him  strait  acrost  the  corridoor  to 
a  big  room  where  there  was  lots  of  people, 
some  settin  down  and  some  standin  around 
the  walls;  he  walked  up  an  sot  himself 
down,  an  I  ast  a  little  man  at  the  door, 
says  I  scuse  me  sir  what  place  is  this, — 
this  is  a  stock  holders  meetin  says  he,  are 
you  intrusted  in  the  Beruba  Plantation 
says  he,  if  you  are  jest  set  down  cause 
this  is  a  mass  meetin  of  all  the  folks  in 
trusted,  says  he. 

Well  I  did  set  down  where  I  could  keep 
my  eye  on  that  shoe  string  feller  an  then 
I  looks  round  an  lissens. 

There  was  a  man  on  a  platform  makin 
a  speech  again  the  Beruba  Plantation,  he 


BREAKS  UP  A  MEETING     187 

talked  awful — he  said  it  was  a  fraud  from 
the  beginnin,  thet  they  dident  raise 
enough  coffee  down  on  that  plantation  to 
supply  the  help  around  the  place,  an  a 
lot  more.  At  that  a  smooth  face  chap 
got  up  an  he  began  to  stick  up  fer  that 
Plantation, —  says  he  Ladies  and  Gentle 
men,  says  he,  the  man  what  has  jest  spoke 
is  mistaken,  says  he,  this  could  not  be  a 
fraud,  impossible,  says  he,  with  sech  a 
man  as  Orin  D.  Feather  at  the  head  of  it. 
Do  you  know  Ladies  and  Gentlemen  says 
he,  how  Orrin  D.  Feather  is  regarded  in 
the  West  where  he  come  from,  why  my 
dear  friends  says  he,  they  name  their  ba 
bies  after  him.  Yes  my  friends  says  he, 
that  is  how  they  think  of  him  out  in  In- 
diany,  their  dear  little  babies,  says  he.  It 
couldent  go  wrong  with  Orin  D.  Feather 
at  the  helm,  says  he. 

Well  then  another  chap,  tall  with  specs 
on,  jumped  up  an  shook  his  fist  at  the 
smooth  face  feller.  You're  in  it  too  says 
he  an  I  can  prove  it,  you  travel  around 
the  country  says  he,  stoppin  at  the  best 


188  MINT  JULEP 

hotels,  posin  as  a  gentleman  of  leesure, 
with  your  money  invested  in  the  Great 
Bemba  Plantation  Company  jest  to  boom 
the  company  in  a  quiet  way,  and  you  are 
paid  a  princely  salary  by  the  company  to 
do  this  spoutin  for  them,  an  I  know  it, 
says  he. 

Well  before  he  had  finished  the  people 
got  excited  an  they  hollered  out  — 
Feather  —  Feather  —  he's  here  let  him 
speak.  Well  at  that  the  shoe  string 
feller  that  I  had  follered  stood  up. 
You  could  have  knocked  me  over  with  a 
puff  of  wind  at  the  sight.  He  smiles 
kind  of  sarcastick  like,  an  he  said  a  whole 
lot  in  favor  of  that  Beruba, —  no  one  has 
denide  says  he,  that  we  own  these  tropi 
cal  acres,  there  are  vast  possibilities  says 
he  an  let  us  reorganize  —  why  says  he, 
look  at  the  men  who  have  faith  in  it  says 
he  an  own  stock  in  it.  He  mentioned 
some  names  but  a  big  light  haired  feller 
jumped  up  an  said  those  men  never 
bought  a  share  of  Beruba  says  he,  but 
were  made  a  present  of  hundreds  of 


BREAKS  UP  A  MEETING   189 

shares  for  the  use  of  there  names  says  he 
an  I  can  prove  it.  Well  Feather  said  a 
lot  more  about  these  men  an  at  last  he  says, 
ladies  and  gents  says  he,  I  have  nothing 
more  to  say,  by  there  fruits  ye  shall  know 
them. 

Well  William  that  speech  an  the  sight 
of  that  man  riled  me  to  bilin  pint, —  I 
forgot  every  thing  an  I  jumped  up  on 
my  chair  an  shook  my  umbrell  at  that 
man.  I  dident  come  here  to  talk  says  I, 
but  I  couldent  let  a  chanct  like  this  go  by 
an  when  that  raskil  takes  to  quotin  scrip- 
ter  says  I,  its  time  I  spoke  up.  an  then  an 
there  I  told  those  people  that  the  man 
they  called  Feather  was  the  shoe  string 
feller  that  bed  come  to  Farnham  years 
ago  an  swindld  me  an  all  the  folks  outer 
good  money. 

Well  William  fact  is  I  made  sech  a 
desprit  speech,  an  I  shook  my  umbrell  so 
it  scairt  the  wimmen.  I  was  gittin  mad 
der  all  the  time  an  at  last  when  I  sees  that 
feller  smilin  at  me,  I  hollers  out  you  ras 
kil,  thet  in  juiced  people  to  give  up  there 


190  MINT  JULEP 

hard  earnt  money  says  I,  an  tells  them 
to  buy  a  piece  of  the  earth  at  Beruba  an 
git  a  income  fer  life,  says  I,  I'll  git  my 
money  back,  says  I,  see  if  I  dont,  an  I 
jumped  over  the  sects  to  git  at  him, —  af 
ter  that  pandemony  rained,  wimmen  faint 
ed,  an  men  squeeled.  A  lot  of  them  got 
me  an  held  me  back,  an  Feather  cleared 
out. 

An  then  all  to  onct  I  see  a  sight  that 
froze  my  marrer.  Direct  oppsite  near  a 
post,  was  a  man  with  a  yaller  tie  an  curly 
hair  an  a  crowd  around  him.  There  was 
somethin  f amilyar  about  his  back  an  then 
an  thar  I  see  him  shake  his  fist  an  raise  a 
leg.  There  was  no  mistakin  that  sign, 
t'was  Hiram  Cuckoo  on  the  rampige.  I 
knew  now  wot  business  had  brung  him  to 
Boston  —  Hiram  was  in  the  Great  Beruba 
too. 

O  William  Julep  you  never  see  sech  a 
sight  of  pantin  men  an  hystericky  wim 
men, —  I'll  never  for  git  it  to  my  dyin  day. 

Then  I  cammed  down  an  went  home  to 
my  children.  I  dident  menshun  a  word 


BREAKS  UP  A  MEETING   191 

to  Molly  Burt  about  meetin  the  shoe 
string  feller  comin  out  of  her  Ants  house. 
But  tomorrer  I'm  a  goin  to  that  house  an 
find  out  'mong  other  things,  what  that 
swindler  was  doin  there.  Mebbe  he's 
playin  his  tricks  on  the  ant  of  this  poor 
gal. 

Your  lovin  Mint 
P.  i.  1. 

Hiram  never  come  back  to  Thanatop- 
sis.  I  guess  he  was  so  mad  he  went  strate 
home  to  Farnham. 


THE   SMOKE-LADY 

Wintop. 

DEEREST  WILLIAM 
I  hope  your  well  as  this  leeves 
me  at  present,  though  I've  been 
through  so  much  lately  I  feel  like  a  dif- 
frent  woman  from  what  I  used  to  be. 
However  I  went  to  see  the  ant  the  very 
next  day  after  that  orful  time  at  the  Be- 
ruba  meetin  an  I'll  never  for  git  that  visit 
if  I  should  live  to  be  Methusalem. 

It  was  a  terrible  stilish  house,  sech  pic 
tures  an  furnitoor  an  what-nots  an  things 
I  never  see  —  I  hed  a  mind  to  put  my 
shawl  over  a  nakid  statur  left  out  careless 
in  plane  sight  of  any  mortal  man  thet 
came  inter  thet  entry. 

Well  I  rung  the  bell  an  a  young  gal 
came  to  the  door,  I  guess  she's  helpin 
192 


THE  SMOKE-LADY        193 

there,  an  when  I  told  her  I  wanted  to  see 
miss  Ryerson,  she  said  as  how  I  must  hev 
a  card  with  my  name  on  it  —  well  thet 
made  me  mad  an  I  jest  told  her  I  was  old 
enough  to  go  out  without  a  tag,  an  a  lot 
more.  I  want  to  see  miss  Ryerson  says 
I,  about  her  neece,  Molly  Burt  an  here  I 
stays  till  I  see  her,  says  I. 

Well  she  said  to  wait  a  minnit,  an  she 
went  off  an  bime  by  a  man  with  stuffed 
legs  an  boys  pants  on,  came  out,  looked 
like  he  was  a  play  acter,  an  he  put  up  one 
finger  and  beckened  me  to  foller  him  up 
stairs,  he  opened  a  door  an  med  a  low 
bow  and  said,  miss  Julep,  then  he  bows 
agin  an  gits  out  an  I  walked  inter  that 
room  an  there  settin  back  at  her  ease,  was 
the  Queen  o'  Sheba  smokin  a  little  seegar. 
I'll  never  forgit  the  sight  of  her  layin 
back  an  blowin  puffs  of  smoke  till  I  die. 

She  waved  me  to  a  sect  with  thet  seegar, 
but  I  jest  stud  at  the  door  an  wouldent 
budge.  Take  a  sect,  says  she,  no  marm, 
says  I,  I  wont  take  no  sect  nor  nothin  else 
till  you  quit,  taint  perlite  to  smoke  in  the 


194  MINT  JULEP 

presents  of  ladies.  O  says  she,  laffin  like, 
do  you  object  to  smokin.  Not  at  all  says 
I,  do  I  object  to  smokin  by  them  as  was 
made  to  smoke,  if  a  man  wants  to  smoke 
thats  his  own  business  says  I,  he  can  git 
comfort  an  a  bad  liver  for  all  of  me  says 
I,  but  when  a  clean  female  puts  one  of 
them  little  pizin  things  in  her  mouth,  its 
diffrent  says  I.  Taint  nateral  nor  Amer 
ican,  says  I.  I  hev  heerd  that  them  ter 
rible  Turkish  wimmin  smokes,  well  let 
them  says  I,  the  hethen  in  them  has  got  to 
come  out  some  way  an  I  dunno  what  bet 
ter  way  it  could  than  in  smoke,  but  I  never 
surmised  that  you  was  a  smoke-lady. 

Madam  says  she  state  your  business, 
your  opinions  dont  intrest  me  says  she  in 
the  leest.  Mebbe  not  says  I,  if  I  was  a 
smoke  lady  they  would  be  flavered  more 
or  less  with  tobaccy,  an  be  apt  to  leeve  a 
bad  taste  in  the  mouth,  they'd  likely  soot 
then.  Look  a  here  says  I,  Satan  must 
feel  right  to  home  with  smoke  ladies  when 
there  smokin  there  not  prayin.  With  that 
she  straitend  right  up  an  says  she  I  shall 


THE  SMOKE-LADY        195 

hev  to  ask  you  to  state  your  business  at 
onct,  says  she,  or  leeve  my  presents. 

Then  she  threw  away  the  little  seegar, 
an  I  ups  an  tells  her  all  about  miss  Burt 
bein  sick  at  Thanatopsis  an  I  told  her 
about  thet  shoe  string  Beruba  swindler 
they  called  mister  Orrin  Feather. 

I  warned  her  agin  him,  an  I  told  her  as 
how  I  bed  seen  him  comin  outer  her  house 
an  how  I  bed  follered  him  to  the  meetin 
an  I  told  her  not  to  buy  shoe  strings,  nor 
let  him  in  juice  her  to  put  any  of  her 
money  in  that  Beruba  on  the  promise  of 
gittin  a  income  f er  life. 

Well  she  seemed  to  know  thet  I  ment 
it  all  fer  her  good,  and  she  warnt  a  bad 
lookin  woman,  light  complected  with  a  big 
lot  of  hair,  looked  like  there  was  about  ten 
pounds,  arraigned  like  a  hay-lo  around 
her  head,  the  goldenist  hair  I  ever  see  out 
side  a  wax  lady  on  Washton  Street. 

Well  then  I  went  home  William  an  I 
couldent  help  thinkin  this  is  a  queer  world 
anyhow,  there  must  be  some  good  in  thet 
Ryerson  woman  to  be  the  ant  of  that 


196  MINT  JULEP 

sweet  Molly  Burt,  but  think  of  her  bein 
a  smoke  lady.  You  should  be  thankful 
you  dident  git  her  but  did  git  your  own 

MINT  JULEP. 
P.  I.  L. 

I  allus  felt  thet  I  would  hev  made  as 
good  a  man  as  any  male  I  ever  met  in  my 
karreer,  but  it  never  made  me  take  to 
smokin  to  try  to  prove  it. 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

MORE  THAN-A-TOP-SIS 

DEER  WILLIAM  — 
I  was  reel  pleased  to  see  by  your 
letter  that  you  was  intrusted   in 
Molly  Burt  an  the  smoke-lady  an  no  won 
der,  for  sech  happenings  dont  come  every 
day  in  ordnery  folks  lives. 

Naow  I  am  happy  to  tell  you  William 
that  the  mistery  is  out  at  last,  everything 
is  cleared  up  an  I  feel  more  satisfied  than 
I  have  for  months. 

The  very  day  that  I  went  to  see  Mis 
Ryerson  that  evening  I  sat  with  Molly  in 
her  room.  We  talked  until  it  was  mid 
night,  an  she  told  me  the  story  of  her  life. 
She  jest  took  my  hand  an  talked  to  me 
like  I  was  her  mother. 

Its  a  sad  story,  an  its  jest  as  I  expected. 
197 


198  MINT  JULEP 

Molly  has  been  made  to  suffer  for  others. 
But  to  git  to  Molly's  story. 

It  seems  her  own  ma  an  pa  died  when 
she  was  very  young  an  Mis  Ryerson,  who 
is  her  mother's  half  sister  (they  had  the 
same  father,  but  Mis  Ryerson's  ma  was 
a  play-actor  that  this  man  married  when 
his  first  wife  died)  Well  it  seems  Mis 
Ryerson,  the  half-sister  brot  Molly  up.  I 
fear  she  is  a  very  worldly  woman,  an  to 
make  a  short  story  she  wanted  Molly  to 
marry  Mr.  Orrin  Feather.  A  course  that 
ant  dident  know  he  was  a  swindler,  all 
she  knew  or  cared  was  that  he  was  orful 
rich,  an  he  wanted  to  marry  Molly  but 
Molly  would  not  have  him  because  she  did 
not  care  for  him  at  all.  Well  it  seems 
he  jest  haunted  the  house  an  he  got  her 
ant  to  invest  all  her  money  in  the  Beruba 
Plantation  Co.  The  ant  even  sold  her 
beautiful  summer  home  to  put  the  money 
into  his  schemes,  he  assurin  her  all  the 
time  that  it  would  bring  her  back  mil 
lions. 

An  Mr.  Orrin  Feather  was  offul  kind  to 


MORE  THAN-A-TOP-SIS      199 

the  ant.  He  has  a  elegant  mansion  at  the 
shore,  called  The  Anchorage,  an  he  puts 
it  at  the  disposal  of  Mis  Ryerson,  an  her 
neice  for  the  summer.  I  suspect  that  he 
did  this  jest  to  have  Molly  under  his  eye 
all  summer  because  he  is  bound  to  marry 
that  girl.  Well  the  ant  accepts  an  Molly 
Burt  went  with  her  ant  to  The  Anchor 
age,  but  she  was  dreadful  unhappy  there 
all  the  time  because  her  ant  kept  urgin  her 
to  marry  this  man,  an  the  more  her  ant 
urges  her  the  more  Molly  refuses  till  at 
last  one  day  Molly  gits  desperate  and  she 
pleads  with  her  ant  that  she  wants  to  con 
tinue  with  her  painting.  She  is  an  art  stu 
dent  an  she  has  a  little  studio  in  Boston, 
so  she  leaves  the  gay  life  at  the  Anchor 
age  an  comes  to  the  city  to  go  on  with 
her  studying.  An  as  she  loves  the  water 
she  wanders  down  to  Wintop  to  git  lodg 
ings.  Well,  she  said,  as  how  the  name  on 
our  cottage  struck  her  fancy,  she  was  in 
that  mood,  she  said,  when  life  looked  sad 
an  a  lot  more,  an  she  liked  the  little  porch 
with  the  honey  suckle  over  it,  an  last  but 


200  MINT  JULEP 

not  least,  I  guess  she  kinder  liked  Mint 
Julep.  Well  she  was  reel  happy  here  an 
everything  went  along  nicely  till  that  day 
the  Queen  'o  Sheba  (wich  is  her  ant  Lida 
Ryerson)  drew  up  in  the  ottermorbeel. 
Her  ant  made  her  see  that  day  that  it  was 
her  bounden  duty  to  marry  Feather,  be 
cause  if  she  did  not  the  ant  would  be  a  beg 
gar.  If  she  did  Feather  agreed  to  pay 
back  evry  cent,  an  a  lot  more  beside. 
Well,  William,  poor  little  Molly  sacrificed 
herself,  as  you  know.  That  night  her  ant 
arranged  the  dinner  party  Molly  Burt 
gave  her  word  of  honor  to  marry  Orrin 
Feather,  an  now  comes  the  sad  part  about 
Mr.  Jeremiah  Storey. 

He  an  Molly  had  thought  the  world 
of  each  other  since  they  first  met.  He 
was  too  proud  to  tell  her  because  Molly 
was  a  very  rich  girl  an  he  a  poor,  strug 
gling  lawyer,  who  worked  his  way 
through  college,  an  has  had  an  uphill  fight 
to  make  his  way,  but  the  minute  he  hears 
that  Molly's  money  is  gone  (an  by  the 
way  he  doesent  know  she  still  has  a  for- 


MORE  THAN-A-TOP-SIS     201 

tune  comin  to  her  when  she  is  21  that 
the  ant  Lida  couldent  touch)  but  just  as 
soon  as  Mr.  Jeremiah  hears  that  Molly's 
wealth  is  gone  he  is  happy.  He  came  to 
her  an  told  her  how  he  has  always  loved 
her  an  asked  her  to  be  his  wife,  an  poor 
Molly  jest  worships  him  but  she  has  given 
her  word  to  that  other.  An  when  she  tells 
Jeremiah  Storey  that  she  is  going  to 
marry  Orin  Feather,  there  was  an  orful 
scene.  She  never  told  him  that  she  was 
doing  it  to  save  her  ant.  She  says  she 
let  him  go  away  thinking  she  was  marry 
ing  Feather  because  he  was  rich  an  could 
give  her  back  the  fortune  she  had  lost. 
That  was  the  hardest  thing  of  all  to  bear, 
says  Molly,  an  she  jest  sobbed  at  the  recol 
lection  of  it. 

"  How  he  must  despise  me,"  cried  this 
poor  girl. 

"Nothing  of  the  sort,"  says  I,  "he 
loves  you  yet  an  everything  will  come  out 
rite,"  says  I. 

"  He  could  never  care  for  me  now,  an 
it  can  never  come  out  rite  for  me,"  said 


202  MINT  JULEP 

Molly,  terrible  sad.  '  You  dont  know 
the  man,"  says  she. 

Well  William  it  seems  that  the  ant  has 
kept  an  eye  on  Molly  all  the  time  she  was 
at  Thantopsis,  unbeknownst  to  the  girl, 
for  she  told  me  so  when  she  was  here  this 
afternoon,  an  she  an  Molly  have  made  it 
up,  an  I  guess  that  ant  feels  sort  of  gilty 
for  the  papers  to-day  are  jest  full  of  the 
Big  Beruba  Swindle  an  that  man  Feather. 

There's  a  whole  collum  in  the  paper  on 
his  wealth,  his  fast  horses,  his  ottermor- 
beels,  an  his  town  an  country  houses.  O, 
I  never  hearn  tell  of  sech  a  raskil,  an  jest 
to  think  that  a  few  years  ago  he  came  to 
Farnham  an  swindled  the  folks  there  out 
of  money  in  that  shoe-string  company.  I 
tell  you  wot,  it  is  a  lesson  for  me  long  as 
I  live  an  I'll  never  invest  money  in  any 
schemes  again. 

When  Molly's  ant  was  jest  outside  my 
door  she  turned  an  looked  at  the  name  that 
I  had  painted  an  nailed  over  the  porch, 
and  she  ast  me  how  I  came  to  name  the 
cottage  Thanatopsis.  I  told  her  that  I 


MORE  THAN-A-TOP-SIS     203 

heard  it  at  the  perfessor's  onct  an  I  liked 
it,  and  what  do  you  think  it  means,  says 
she.  "  Mis  Ryerson  is  this  a  riddle,"  says 
I,  "  it  means  jest  wot  it  says,"  says  I, 
"  some  big  words  are  kind  of  hard  to  say, 
an  the  meanin  is  hard  to  git  at,"  says  I, 
"  but  here's  a  name,  Mis  Ryerson,  that  is 
as  plain  as  your  face,"  says  I. 

"  Yes,  yes,"  says  she,  kind  of  persistent 
like,  "  but  wot  does  the  name  convey  to 
your  mind,"  says  she. 

"  Sence  it  seems  to  be  troublin  you," 
says  I,  "  its  jest  like  this,  a  boy  thinks  a 
lot  of  a  top,  dont  he  now,"  says  I,  "  he 
gits  a  lot  of  pleasure  a  spinnin  of  it  an 
showin  it  off,  dont  he,"  says  I,  "  an  wot 
more  natral  than  hed  say  to  his  sister  or 
some  other  gal,  look  at  it  goin  Sis,  aint  it 
fine  an  a  lot  more,  now  heres  a  nice  cosy 
cottage,  an  I  can  say  to  you,  Mis  Ryerson, 
or  to  anyone,  young  or  old,  its  wuth  more 
than-a-top-sis,  that  is  how  I  figger  it  out," 
says  I.  "  McPeak's  cottage  is  named 
Idle  Nook,"  says  I,  "an  that  name  is  a 
lie,  cause  she  works  like  time  from  mornin 


204  MINT  JULEP 

till  night,  an  they  aint  a  idle  nook  in  the 
hull  house.  Mis  Kelly's  cottage  is  The 
May  Flower,  wich  is  not  true  either.  My 
name  is  the  best,"  says  I. 

Well  at  that  Mis  Ryerson  looked  at  me 
reel  serus  like.  Says  she,  "  Mis  Julep, 
you  are  wrong  about  that  name,  it  is  not 
at  all  appropriet  for  a  cottage.  The  name 
is  a  Greek  word,"  says  she,  "  an  means  a 
View  of  Death." 

"  I  dont  care  wot  it  means  in  Greek," 
says  I.  '  This  is  America  an  we  speak 
the  English  langwidge  an  I  know  jest  wot 
it  means  in  plain  english  an  that's  all  I 
care  about." 

Now  William,  did  you  ever  in  your  life 
hear  tell  of  anything  so  perfectly  redicalus 
as  to  be  puttin  furrin  meanins  to  plain 
names  like  Sis  an  top.  That  Ryerson 
woman  is  terrble  hif  alutin.  I  bet  she  calls 
her  underwear  lingerins  or  some  sech  fool 
name  like  a  gal  in  a  store  one  day  when 
I  went  into  git  some  stockins  for  my 
Mamie  ups  an  told  a  reel  nice  gent  I 
wanted  red  hose. 


MORE  THAN-A-TOP-SIS      205 

"  Nothin  of  the  sort,"  says  I,  "  Mister. 
I  dont  want  a  hose,  an  I  aint  never  seen  a 
red  hose  yit."  Then  she  explained  a 
whole  lot  to  me  but  I  declare  I  thot  it  was 
plumb  foolish. 

Your  lovin  wife 

AKAMINTA  JULEP. 

iWintop. 
DEER  WILLIAM, — 

To-morrow  Bella  Ball  is  goin  to  come 
over  to  Wintop  an  she  an  Henery  are 
goin  to  take  your  par  an  mar  up  Bunker 
Hill  Monument. 

I  think  they  are  havin  a  reel  nice  time. 
The  very  fust  mornin  after  they  landed  in 
Wintop  I  sent  em  out  to  take  a  bath,  as 
your  par  said  he  loved  the  salt  water  an 
par  has  been  in  every  day  sense. 

To-day  in  the  afternoon  they  went  to  a 
corp  house.  A  nice  gent  wot  lives  on  the 
next  stret  was  layin  away  his  mother-in- 
law  an  I  thot  your  mar  would  enjy  the 
celemony,  folks  have,  I  never. 

It  is  strange  William  wot  names  city 


206  MINT  JULEP 

knowed  that  there  was  anybody  dead  in 
the  neighborhood  till  I  met  Mis  Kelly  on 
my  way  to  the  sto?e.  She  was  all  dressed 
up  in  her  best  an  she  stopped  an  spoke  reel 
pleasant. 

I'm  on  my  way  to  the  cop-house,  says 
she. 

My  lands,  says  I,  is  anyone  arrested. 

"  No,"  says  she,  "  but  there's  lots  that 
orter  be." 

Well,  says  I,  if  I  may  ast  it  wot  are  you 
going  to  the  cop-house  for? 

Why,  says  she,  to  pay  my  respects  to 
the  family,  says  she. 

Miss  Goodcowski  is  wakin  her  mother 
to-day,  says  she. 

Has  she  been  asleep  long,  says  I,  dread 
ful  puzzled. 

"  She's  dead,  woman  dear,"  says  Mis 
Kelly.  Old  lady  Rosenberg  is  dead  an 
gone  an  I'm  goin  up  to  the  corp -house  to 
see  what  the  rabbit  is  goin  to  do." 

Well,  William  Julep,  I  was  that  puz 
zled  I  jest  could'nt  speak  an  long  last  she 
told  me  that  old  lady  Rosenberg  was  a 


MORE  THAN-A-TOP-SIS     207 

friend  of  hers.  A  reel  pleasant  old  lady, 
and  she  had  been  sick  a  week  an  then  died, 
an  when  they  is  anyone  dead  in  the  house 
Mis  Kelly  says  its  proper  to  call  it  a  corp- 
house,  an  when  they  are  dead,  she  says, 
they're  wakin  wich  I  can't  make  out  no 
how.  I  did'n't  want  to  press  Mis  Kelly 
too  hard  to  xplain,  but  told  par  all  about 
it.  He  says  its  furrin  but  he  was  reel 
curus  about  it  an  he  an  mar  went  in  the 
afternoon.  Par  said  it  was  reel  nice  an 
jest  like  any  other  buried  service  that  he 
had  ever  seen.  He  said  he  got  orful  in 
trusted  watchin  a  little  man,  cryin  dread 
ful  hard  an  most  tearin  his  beard.  When 
it  was  over  par  edged  up  to  the  man  to  con 
dole  with  him.  "  Dont  feel  so  bad,"  says 
par,  "  losses  come  to  everyone,  Mister." 

"  O,  it  was  too  much,  too  much,"  says 
he  to  Par. 

"  Well  I  know  of  course  we  all  feel  that 
way,"  says  par,  "  but  you'll  git  over  it  in 
time." 

"  Never,"  said  the  man,  "  I  tell  you  I 
never  get  over  dis."  Then  he  takes  par  by 


208  MINT  JULEP 

the  button-hole  an  he  talks  reel  confidin 
like,  says  he, 

"  I  tell  you  this,  when  Fannie  Rosen 
berg  marry  Jake  Goodcowski,  I  lend  her 
mother  $200  to  swell  de  dowry.  I'll  never 
get  it  now,  never,  never,  never." 

'  Well  Par  was  dumb,  he  said  his  knees 
got  weak  an  you  could  have  knocked  him 
over  plumb.  He  says  to  me,  Mint  I'm 
gittin  homesick  for  my  own  town  for 
ding  me  says  he,  but  this  Wintop  is  a 
queer  place.  Your  own 

MINT  JULEP. 


CHAPTER  XXVII 

A  BUNCH   OF   PUFFS   AND    CURLS 

Wintop. 

DEER  WILLIAM 
Sech  a  pleasant  supprise  as  we 
this  day  had.     A  trunk  druv  up  to 
Thanatopsis  addrest  to  your  Par  an  we 
all  got  round  an  opened  it. 

There  was  a  note  inside  from  Bella  Ball, 
an  my  lands,  thet  trunk  was  jest  filled 
with  bewtiful  cloes  for  all. 

There  was  a  smokin  jacket  for  your  Par 
that  jest  ticklld  him  to  pieces.  Bella  said 
Henery  only  wore  it  a  few  times,  it  was 
brown  and  Bella  said  the  paper  in  her 
smokin  room  was  pale  blue,  so  she  made 
Henery  git  a  pale  blue  smoker. 

Then  there  was  a  purple  wrapper  for 
your  Mar  an  a  pink  one  fer  me.     There 
was  two  fine   suits   of  Henerys   in  thet 
209 


210  MINT  JULEP 

trunk,  and  your  Mars  eyes  stuck  out  when 
she  see  them.  She  picked  out  a  reel  nice 
plaid  one,  orful  large  plaid,  an  she  made 
your  Par  go  rite  up  stairs  an  put  em  on. 
Well  when  Par  come  down  we  had  to  laff 
some,  because  you  know  Par  is  orful  tall, 
an  Henery  some  shorter,  but  Henerys  sol 
diers  are  broad  so  the  coat  looked  reel  ele 
gant,  but  the  pants,  Glory, —  Par  looked 
down  at  his  legs,  says  he,  I'm  goiii  back 
ter  short  pants,  mother,  says  he,  I'm 
shrinkin,  but  your  Mar  see  theres  a  good 
hem  an  she  said  as  it  would  be  a  easy  mat 
ter  to  let  them  down. 

Then  there  was  two  of  the  handsomest 
hats  in  that  trunk  I  ever  see  in  my  life, 
one  for  me  an  one  for  Mar.  Says  Mar  it 
is  bewtiful,  but  I  have  never  wore  any 
thing  but  bunnets  on  my  head,  says  she, 
for  thirty  year.  Well  I  jest  grabbed  up 
a  little,  round  turban  made  all  of  vilets 
xcept  on  the  tip  top  was  a  golden  plume. 
The  vilets  were  some  faded  but  the  plume 
was  perf eckly  bewtiful.  I  gave  it  to  Mar 
an  I  took  a  grate  big  canopy  hat  loaded 


PUFFS  AND  CURLS       211 

down  with  birds  an  grapes.  Mar  looked 
kinder  scairt  of  the  turban,  but  Par  says 
to  her,  put  it  on,  put  it  on  mother,  ding 
me  says  Par  if  you  wear  that  home,  they'll 
think  we've  been  on  a  wedin  tower,  an  its 
mighty  becomin  mother,  says  Par.  Well 
your  mar  looked  reel  pleased  at  that,  would 
you  dast  to  wear  it  Mint  says  she, — 
sertainly  wear  it  says  I,  Bella  Ball  has  a 
perfeck  taste  for  cloes,  says  I,  an  she 
knows  wot  is  becomin  an  she  sent  that  vilet 
turban  to  you  because  she  knowed  it  was 
the  proper  thing. 

Well  there  was  a  stack  of  neckties  in  the 
trunk,  I  never  see  any  thing  like  it,  all  the 
shades  and  colors  any  gent  could  wish. 
Par  said  he  had  a  good  mind  to  start  a 
necktie  shop  when  he  went  home ;  he  said 
as  how  he  would'nt  have  ter  lay  in  a  stock 
f er  years  in  Little  Acres. 

Then  there  was  a  nice  gray  dress  only 
wore  a  few  times,  for  Mar  an  other  things, 
a  silk  waist  fer  me  an  way  down  at  the  bot 
tom  of  the  trunk  was  a  paper  bag.  Par 
went  to  open  it  an  we  all  jumped, —  thot 


212  MINT  JULEP 

it  was  alive  for  a  minit;  it  was  only  hair, 
lovely  hairy  hay-los  an  puffs  an  bunches 
of  kurls,  Bella  is  bound  I'll  have  hair  on 
me. 

But  I  know  why  she  sent  them,  you  see 
I  lost  some  of  the  puifs  an  cataracts  she 
gave  me  before, — 'twas  this  way,  one  af 
ternoon  I  had  arraigned  a  bewtiful  coffer 
on  me,  I  used  the  haylo  an  puffs  an  a  great 
bunch  of  kurls  hangin  down  behind  an  I 
drest  up  an  went  to  visit  at  May  Flower 
cottage,  me  an  mis  Kelly  was  settin  on  her 
piazza  nice  as  could  be.  I  was  a  talkin  to 
her  an  I  guess  in  some  way  some  of  them 
puffs  got  loose, —  tenny  rate  they  have  a 
terrible  mischeevus  little  Tarrier  dog 
named  Funze,  Danel  Kelly  sets  him  ter 
shake  rags  an  things.  Well  Funze  was 
layin  on  his  paws  a  watchin  us,  an  all  on  a 
sudden  he  jumps  up  on  the  back  of  my 
chair  an  grabs  that  bunch  of  kurls  Bella 
gave  me,  an  three  or  four  puffs.  He 
shook  those  kurls  tremenjus  an  when  Mis 
Kelly  ran  to  git  them  away,  he  ran  off 
like  mad  down  to  the  water.  Mis  Kelly 


PUFFS  AND  CURLS       213 

felt  offul  but  I  said  let  them  go,  an  we 
haint  never  seen  them  sense.  I  told  Bella 
about  it  one  evenin  when  she  an  Henery 
came  over. 

Now  I  have  more  hairy  puffs  an  cata 
racts  an  kurls  etcetras  than  I  can  ever  use, 
an  I  made  your  Mar  take  some ;  they  airit 
a  xact  match  for  her  hair  of  course,  your 
Mars  hair  is  brown  sprinkled  over  white, 
an  mine  is  kinder  red,  but  I  told  her  that 
dont  make  no  difFrence  these  days,  an 
when  your  Mar  goes  home  I'm  a  goin  ter 
arrainge  a  coffer  on  her  to  sute  thet  ele 
gant  turban  wot  she's  goin  ter  wear. 

Well  there  was  a  few  other  little  odds 
an  ends  an  in  the  note  Bella  said  Par  could 
keep  the  trunk  cause  it  would  be  handy  to 
pack  his  stuff  in  when  he  was  goin  home. 

Bella  is  offul  generous  an  warm  hearted. 
I  am  reel  glad  Henery  has  done  so  well 
in  the  soap  greese  business.  She's  been  a 
good  friend  ter  me. 

This  is  all  from  your 

LOVIN  MINT. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 

MINT'S  FIRST  AUTOMOBILE  RIDE 

DEER  WILLIAM 
I  am  goin  to  write  you  this  let 
ter  before  I  say  my  prayers  this 
blessed  night  because  I  want  you  should 
know  of  the  narrer  eskape  you  this  day 
had. 

You  should  be  ticklled  William  for  you 
come  nearer  to  bein  a  widder  man  this  day 
than  you  ever  did  before  in  your  life,  an 
nearer  than  I  hope  you  ever  git,  while  you 
got  me. 

I  was  settin  on  the  porch  mendin  with 
par  an  mar,  it  was  a  reel  hot  day,  an  all  to 
onct  right  before  our  eyes  a  reel  stilish  ot- 
termorbeel  druv  up  an  stopped  at  Thana- 
topsis.  I  hadent  ever  seen  the  shover  be 
fore,  but  settin  in  the  back  sect  was  Molly 
214 


Burt,  a  blue  scarf  round  her  pretty  head 
an  her  lookin  sweeter  than  ever. 

She  jumped  out  an  shook  hands  an  said 
she  was  glad  ter  see  me  an  I  said  it  was 
off ul  nice  thet  she  hadent  forgotten  Mint 
Julep.  Forgit  you  dear  mis  Julep,  says 
Molly,  no  indeed  says  she,  but  I  onct 
heard  you  say  thet  you  had  never  been  in 
a  ortter,  an  so  I  hev  jest  run  down  this 
afternoon  says  she,  an  I'm  goin  to  take 
you  through  a  bit  of  our  prettiest  country 
says  she,  an  I  would  like  to  hev  mister  an 
misses  Julep  come  too  says  she. 

Well  William  what  a  chanct  thet  was, 
but  your  mar  looked  kinder  scairt  an  said 
thankee  an  she'd  rather  not,  but  your  par 
rubed  his  hip  pockit  an  smiled  tremenjus. 
Well  says  I  if  mar  Julep  will  keep  an  eye 
on  Ham  and  Eg,  I'll  git  my  sun  hat  on  an 
go.  O  says  Molly  I'm  afeard  your  hat 
will  blow  to  pieces,  jest  tie  something  soft 
round  your  hair  says  she,  an  come  along. 
Well  I  ran  up  stairs,  I  dont  own  no  vale 
so  I  tied  a  big  red  handcurcheef  of  yourn 


216  MINT  JULEP 

William  on  my  head  and  par  fished  up  a 
little  cap  of  Tommys  thet  jest  covered  his 
bald  spot,  an  we  got  in,  par  settin  in  front 
with  the  shover  an  me  beside  Miss  Molly. 

Go  kinder  easy  at  fust  says  par  to  the 
shover  till  I  git  used  to  it,  well  that  shover 
cast  a  look  side-wise  an  all  around  an  he 
began  to  work  the  pedal  with  his  feet  an 
turn  the  switch  with  his  hands  an  right 
away  he  shoved  off.  Cashunk  —  we  was 
down  thet  rode  like  a  flash  of  light  leavin 
a  cloud  of  dust  behind  thet  was  like  a  fog 
settlin  over  Wintop. 

Onward  we  rushed  like  Injuns  in  a  wild 
race,  houses  an  bill  posts  began  to  look 
dizzy.  I  see  par  git  his  chin  down  onter 
his  chest  an  hunch  up  like  he  was  a  cripple, 
an  every  now  an  agin  give  a  squeal  right 
out.  As  f er  me  I  was  holdin  onter  the 
side  of  the  ortter  with  both  hands  a  jouncin 
up  an  down  for  all  the  world  like  one  of 
them  gals  at  the  circus,  an  before  I  hed  a 
chanct  to  ketch  it  pars  hat  was  gone  an 
we  was  miles  ahead  before  par  got  his 
speech.  Hi  there  says  par,  back  up,  back 


THE  AUTOMOBILE  RIDE     217 

up  will  yer,  I  lost  my  cap.  Well  thet 
shover  turned  to  par  he  talked  reel  snarlie 
tween  his  teeth,  looked  like  he  hed  a  big 
wad  inside  his  cheek.  Ar  come  off,  says 
he,  does  yer  tink  yer  can  find  dat  top-not 
in  dis  maze.  At  this  Molly  who  hed  been 
shakin  all  over  with  forbodin,  though  I 
thot  her  eyes  looked  laffin  like,  says  she, 
stop  a  minit  Mikeal  please, —  well  Glory 
he  stopped  so  suddint  thet  I  was  bounced 
up  like  a  fizz  cork. 

The  shover  turned  an  looked  at  Molly 
an  she  says  to  him,  do  you  think  we  could 
git  the  little  cap  Mikeal,  if  we  went  back. 

Naw,  says  he  reel  forbiddin  like,  an  he 
pulls  outer  his  pockit  a  leather  cap  an 
passes  it  to  par.  Clap  your  paw  onto  that, 
says  he  an  your  dome  wont  git  a  burn.  He 
talked  orful  peculeer.  Thankee  says  par, 
an  he  put  on  the  leather  then  par  smiles 
kinder  confidin  like  to  the  shover,  hold  her 
in  a  leetle,  son,  says  par,  she's  a  fast  one 
aint  she  now  kinder  swift,  says  par.  Why 
she's  a  bubble  she  is,  said  the  shover,  now 
yer  see  her,  now  yer  dont,  but  we  aint  got 


218  MINT  JULEP 

her  goin  yit  says  he,  Ise  only  jest  been 
f  eelin  her  sec,  an  with  that  we  started  onct 
more  but  William  words  fail  your  Mint 
Julep  for  the  first  time  in  her  life,  an  I'm 
dumb  when  it  comes  to  tellin  about  the 
rest  of  that  ortter  ride. 

I  can  only  say  thet  no  bird  thet  ever  flew 
the  azure  felt  so  light  an  giddy  as  me,  till 
all  to  once  I  reelized  that  the  shover  had 
gone  crazy,  a  suddint  attack  of  Ortter 
Vitus  or  something  ekally  bad  had  got  him, 
cramped  his  witals  an  made  him  hunch  up 
to  look  like  a  demon.  He  was  tryin  to  git 
to  Hell  William,  an  he  most  succeeded. 

I  yelled  an  hollered  at  him,  but  twas 
no  use  an  when  I  hed  got  winded  from 
screamin,  I  made  the  orful  diskovery 
that  his  eyes  was  shut,  he  was  asleep, 
William. 

"O  GAWD  asleep  at  the  switch," 
many  a  time  I  hed  heard  them  words  at 
the  perfessers  an  now  I  knew  the  orful 
meanin.  I  see  poor  par  writhin  in  agony 
on  his  sect,  as  we  went  up  one  hill  an 


THE  AUTOMOBILE  RIDE      219 

down  another.  For  a  second  I  shut  my 
eyes  to  pray,  yes  William  twas  as  bad  as 
that, —  then  I  hollered  agin  but  twarnt 
no  use,  I  looked  at  Molly  but  she  had 
covered  her  face  with  the  blue  scarf,  an 
her  shoulders  were  shakin  tremenjus, — 
thet  poor  gal  was  hysterrick. 

Then  I  see  we  was  nearin  a  steep  hill 
an  the  shover  was  gittin  up  speed  to  shoot 
the  shoots  on  the  other  side.  I  cast  a 
glance  at  par.  A  resined  look  was  on  his 
brow,  though  the  sweat  was  oozin  out 
under  the  leather.  I  got  a  wild  longin 
on  me  to  keep  the  infernal  from  its  mad 
kareer  cost  what  it  may,  an  then  an  there, 
I  riz  up  an  threw  myself  on  the  shover. 
I  klutched  him  round  the  neck  with  both 
arms  while  I  swung  a  leg  side  ways,  to 
hit  his  ribs  —  I  wouldent  let  go  though 
he  shuck  hard, — 'twas  a  desprit  sight  Wil 
liam,  cause  I  allus  ware  white  stockins, 
though  the  stores  are  filled  with  black 
ones.  People  inside  should  be  white  an 
spotless.  It  has  allus  been  a  soss  of  pride 


220  MINT  JULEP 

to  me  that  Jamesey  Allum  was  picked  up 
dead  at  the  town  pump,  but  he  was  picked 
up  clean  inside  an  out. 

Well  I  see  the  shover  lookin  down  to 
see  what  was  hittin  him,  he  shuck  hisself 
to  git  free  of  me  but  I  held  on  like  grin 
deth. 

I  heard  folks  shoutin  at  us  an  hollerin 
an  then  before  I  could  reelize  it  that 
ortter  was  frothin  in  front  of  Thanatop- 
sis  —  Par  was  standin  on  dirt  rubbin  his 
hip  pockit,  Miss  Molly  was  laffin  fit  to 
die  an  I  was  tryin  to  git  breath  trembly 
like. 

Thankee  sir  says  par  to  the  shover,  I 
wouldent  a  missed  it  fer  a  prize  cock,  but 
I  wouldent  go  agin  fer  a  pair  of  them, 
says  par  reel  smilin.  Shake  says  the 
shover,  puttin  out  his  hand  an  squeezin 
pars  orful  hard,  your  a  ded  game  sport 
says  he,  but  your  mudder,  screw  on  de 
nuts,  screw  on  de  nuts,  says  he.  What 
he  means  me  an  par  dont  know  fer  he's 
a  queer  chap  an  talks  wuss  than  furrin. 

I  wanted  Molly  to  come  in  an  git  a 


THE  AUTOMOBILE  RIDE    221 

cup  of  tea  but  she  said  her  ant  expected 
her  back  right  away.  And  she  said  she 
never  enjyed  a  ortter  ride  so  much  in 
all  her  life.  It  was  fear  full  William  but 
grand.  Twas  like  startin  out  fer  Heaven, 
but  feelin  all  the  time  thet  you  was  jest 
missin  the  other  place  by  a  hair 

No  more  at  present  from  your 

LOVIN  MINT. 

DEERIST  HUSBEND 

we  got  your  letter  tellin  us  thet  you  was 
comin  home  at  last  an  tho  you  say  you  are 
goin  off  again  to  Canady  soon  we  was  all 
glad  to  git  the  news  an  mighty  pleesed. 

Your  par  an  mar  will  now  stay  till  they 
see  you  an  then  they  must  start  fer  Little 
Acres.  I  shall  be  sorry  to  see  them  go. 

I  have  enjied  evry  day  they  hev  been 
a  visitin  me.  I  like  your  par  reel  well  — 
Him  an  me  git  on  reel  well  together,  your 
mar  is  a  reel  nice  woman  too  though  dred- 
ful  proper. 

She  ast  me  yisterday  if  I  warnt  some 
older  than  you  —  course  I  am  says  I,  I 


222  MINT  JULEP, 

aint  never  denide  it,  an  par  spoke  up  an 
says  to  mar,  an  aint  you  glad  thet  she 
is  —  Smart  of  par  warnt  it. 

Well  William  there  ain't  much  news 
here.  The  childern  are  well  though  Ham 
got  his  front  tooth  knocked  clean  out  the 
other  day  —  Eg  struck  him  in  the  jaw 
with  a  mallit,  though  twas  all  a  accident. 

The  more  I  see  of  childern  the  more  I 
wonder  thet  so  many  grown  up  folks  hev 
all  there  members  on  them.  Thet  mine 
hasent  been  maimed  fer  life  over  an  over 
agin  is  only  due  to  the  speshial  dispensin 
of  Providence. 

Your  pa  thinks  my  Jimmy  would  make 
a  better  surgin  or  barber  than  anything 
an  I  guess  par  is  right  —  Jimmy  has  a 
nateral  gift  fer  cuttin,  the  only  time  thet 
boy  looks  wise  is  when  he  is  whittlin  a 
stick. 

No  more  fer  the  pressent  from  your 
lovin  an  affecshunit  wife 

MINT  JULEP 


CHAPTER  XXIX 

PLANS  TO  WELCOME  WILLIAM 

MINT  JULEP  was  a  social  being. 
She     thoroughly     enjoyed     that 
friendly       intercourse       between 
neighbors  which  to  her  meant  "  runnin 
in  "  for  a  minute  or  two,  at  any  time  of 
the  day. 

She  had  as  keen  a  relish  for  a  bit  of 
gossip  over  the  back  fence,  as  a  lady  of 
leisure  might  have  at  an  after-noon  tea. 
But  more  than  all  Mint  liked  to  shine 
as  hostess. 

As  she  had  once  expressed  it  to  Mrs. 

McPeak,  "  I  do  jest  love  to  have  parties 

an  intertain,  I  could  jest  die  intertaininV 

To  invite  the  neighbors  to  come  and 

spend  an  evening  in  her  little  sitting  room, 

where  among  other  things  they  could  hear 

and  see  her  talented  family,  was  a  wish 

223 


224  MINT  JULEP. 

dear  to  the  heart  of  Mrs.  Julep.  But 
alas!  like  most  of  our  dearest  wishes,  it 
had  never  been  fully  gratified. 

Now  however,  Mint  believed  that  the 
time  had  come,  when  it  was  almost  a  duty 
to  entertain. 

William  Julep  was  coming  home  and 
it  rested  with  the  wife  of  his  bosom  to 
make  that  home-coming  an  auspicious  one. 

She  had  fully  made  up  her  mind  that 
she  would  give  a  party  in  honor  of  the 
occasion,  and  as  she  was  finishing  the 
white-washing  of  her  little  kitchen  one 
bright  morning,  she  planned  out  the 
whole  affair  with  a  nicety  of  detail  that 
would  have  done  credit  to  the  late,  la 
mented  Ward  McAllister. 

As  the  woman  of  fashion  has  her  vis 
iting  list,  so  Mrs.  Julep  had  carefully 
gone  over  in  her  mind  and  made  her  list 
of  those  who  were  to  be  her  guests  on 
this  memorable  occasion. 

She  would  invite  Mr.  and  Mrs.  McPeak 
and  Mr.  Voneye. 

Mr.  Voneye  was  Tommy's  teacher,  and 


WILLIAM'S  WELCOME     225 

had  always  shown  a  friendly  interest  in 
her  welfare. 

Then  there  was  Mrs.  Kelly  whom  she 
had  met  frequently  at  the  corner  grocery, 
and  her  daughter  Mazie  who  was  always 
very  nice  to  the  children. 

These  with  the  members  of  her  own 
family,  including  Pa  and  Ma  Julep  from 
Little  Acres,  would  be  about  all  that  the 
little  sitting  room  of  Thanatopsis,  would 
hold. 

At  last  the  white-washing  was  com 
pleted,  the  paint  around  the  windows  care 
fully  washed  and  the  windows  "  rubbed 
up  "  until  they  were  clear  and  shining  as 
crystal. 

Mint  regarded  the  result  of  her  labor 
with  satisfaction,  and  having  carried  the 
brush  and  pail  to  the  back  shed,  she  re 
turned  to  the  kitchen  for  the  more  im 
portant  matter  of  the  invitations. 

From  a  drawer  in  the  closet  she  took 
a  box  of  pink  paper,  and  from  the  top 
shelf,  a  bottle  of  red  ink. 

Thus  equipped,  Mint  seated  herself  at 


226  MINT  JULEP 

the  kitchen  table ;  taking  the  pen  from  its 
resting  place  in  the  box  of  paper,  she 
proceeded  to  "  try  "  it  on  the  cover  of  the 
box;  a  few  flourishes  on  this  hard  surface 
proved  to  her  satisfaction  that  the  pen  was 
still  "  working "  and  Mint  carefully 
started  an  invitation  on  the  delicate  pink 
paper. 

Mis  Kelly  dear  friend 

I  am  goin  to  have  a  party  to 
celabrate  William  Julep,  my  hus- 
bend,  huntin  wild  beats  in  the  Rock 
ies  an  hes  comin'  home.  I  want  you 
should  come  also  your  darter  Mazie. 
You  shall  have  a  plessant  evenin  with 

Mint  Julep 

Mint  held  this  up  and  read  it  over  sev 
eral  times  before  she  finally  put  it  in  an 
envelope  and  sealed  it. 

It  looks  fine  and  I  think  it's  a  real  good 
invite,  thought  Mint,  but  dear  me  what 
a  lot  of  time  it  is  goin'  to  take  to  write 
them  all;  and  having  arrived  at  this  con- 


WILLIAM'S  WELCOME      227 

elusion,  Mint  decided  that  she  would 
write  only  one  more,  and  that  to  Mr. 
Voneye,  whose  social  position  in  the 
neighborhood,  she  thought,  rather  enti 
tled  him  to  the  distinction  of  a  written  in 
vitation. 

The  others  she  would  tell  by  word  of 
mouth,  and  "  any  way,"  said  Mint,  "  it's  a 
orf ul  waste  of  time  to  write  anything  that 
you  can  say  over  the  back  fence." 

But  Mrs.  Kelly's  invitation  was  written 
and  it  was  too  good  to  keep,  so  hastily 
summoning  Mamie,  who  was  busy  "  hang 
ing  out  "  her  dolls'  wash,  Mint  placed  the 
pink  envelope  in  her  hand. 

Mamie  was  not  unlike  her  resourceful 
parent.  She  was  slight,  indeed  a  very 
wisp  of  a  child;  a  mass  of  dark  red  hair 
tumbled  over  a  broad  childish  forehead; 
a  pair  of  bright  eyes  looked  confidently 
at  the  whole  world;  the  small,  retrousse 
nose,  and  wide  mouth  always  grinning, 
hinted  at  a  nature  at  once  generous  and 
mischievous.  She  looked  eagerly  at  her 
mother  and  said :  — 


228  MINT  JULEP, 

"What  is  it,  Mor,  another  letter  to 
For? " 

"  No  it  'tain't.  I  want  you  should  take 
this  letter  over  to  Mis  Kelly,  you  know 
the  nice  lady  wot  squints  a  little,  lives 
next  door  to  the  grocery, —  you  know  who 
I  mean  don't  yer  —  was  up  here  one  day 
to  see  my  hens  - 

"  You  mean  miss  Schworer." 

"  No  I  don't  mean  miss  Schworer  at  all. 
Miss  Schworer  has  shingles  an'  is  drefful 
sick.  I  mean  Mis  Kelly,  the  stout  lady 
right  next  to  the  grocery,  wot  squints  a 
little,  in  May  Flower  Cottage,  there  now 
do  you  understand? " 

"  O  yes  now  I  know." 

'  Well  then  you  go  an'  give  her  this  let 
ter,  don't  forgit  now  who  it's  for,  Mrs. 
Kelly,  the  nice  lady  right  next  door  to 
the  grocery  an'  there  ain't  no  answer;  jest 
give  it  to  her  an'  then  run  home  here,  I 
want  yer." 

Mamie  started  and  was  off  like  a  flash, 
waving  the  pink  envelope  over  her  head, 
but  Mint  had  only  got  fairly  settled  at 


WILLIAM'S  WELCOME     229 

the  table  to  write  Mr.  Voneye's  invita 
tion,  when  the  door  opened  and  Mamie 
burst  into  the  room,  the  pink  envelope  still 
clasped  tightly  in  her  small  fist. 

"  Mor,  she  says  she  don't." 

"Don't  wot?  Land  o'  goodness  Ma 
mie  didn't  I  give  you  that  letter  to  take 
to  Mrs.  Kelly?"  ' 

"  So  I  did  mor,  an  she  says  she  don't 
and  slammed  the  door." 

"  Mamie  you  tell  me  at  onct,  jest  wot 
you  did  an'  said,"  and  Mint  well  aware 
that  something  was  amiss,  stood  up  and 
regarded  her  offspring  with  a  very  stern 
face. 

"  I  ran  all  the  way  Mor,  and  I  rang 
her  bell  and  I  says  it's  for  Miss  Kelly,  the 
nice  lady  what  squints,  and  she  says  she 
don't,  and  slammed  the  door." 

"  O  Law,  Mamie!  You  air  enough  to 
clip  the  wings  o'  Gabriell,  an  you  haven't 
any  tack  'bout  you  at  all.  I  do  hope  you'll 
git  it  some  way,  'fore  you  grow  up,  for 
I  jest  despise  a  female  without  it.  A 
woman  without  tack  is  like  a  barrel  with- 


230  MINT  JULEP 

out  hoops,  all  that's  in  her  is  bound  to 
come  out  an'  she'll  flop  every  time.  Try 
an'  raise  a  little  tack !  Don't  you  know  it 
warn't  nice  to  tell  the  lady  she  squints  — 
you  must  never  tell  folks  they  squint  or 
have  a  onnateral  def eck. 

"  Jest  the  same  if  that  woman's  eyes 
ain't  allus  tryin  to  locate  her  nose,  I'm 
tongue  tied. 

"  Now  give  me  that  invite;  I  shall  have 
to  put  myself  in  her  way  an'  make  it  all 
right.  I  might  have  knowed  that  a  fly- 
a-way  like  you  would  have  done  some  sech 
fool  thing. 

"  I  wish  I  had  sent  Bud  with  it,  nice,  sen 
sible,  stiddy  little  thing  that  she  is,  an'  I 
will  next  time.  Now  git  out." 

Mamie  did  not  need  a  second  bidding 
to  get  back  to  her  play,  but  as  she  was 
about  to  open  the  door,  her  mother  said 

"  Wait,  there's  something  on  the  pantry 
shelf  behind  the  sugar  crock,  I  hid  'em 
there  from  Ham  an  Eg  —  go  git  'em, 
give  one  to  Bud  an'  one  to  yourself." 

Mamie's  grin  was  something  very  wide 


WILLIAM'S  WELCOME     231 

and  good  to  see  as  she  emerged  from  the 
pantry  a  moment  later,  a  doughnut  in  each 
hand,  leaving  Mint  Julep,  her  arms  out 
spread  like  wings  of  a  great  bird,  writing 
Mr.  Voneye's  invitation  to  the  party. 

That  evening  after  supper  Mrs.  Julep 
told  the  children  about  the  party. 

"  Hurray,"  shouted  Tommy,  "  will 
there  be  lots  of  good  things  to  eat? " 

"  There'll  be  cake  an'  lemonade,  Tom 
my,  an'  don't  you  take  more  'n  one  piece 
of  cake  on  your  life,  remember  that,  the 
cake  is  for  the  compny." 

"  Wish  I  was  goin'  to  be  the  compny," 
said  Tommy. 

"  You  air  goin'  to  help  entertain  them, 
Tommy,  you  stand  right  up  when  they 
all  git  here  an  play  Home,  sweet  home,  an' 
then  set  down  an'  say  nothin'  like  a  gentle 
man;  that's  what  you  are  goin'  to  do. — 
You'll  be  all  right  I  know,  it's  Jimmy  I'm 
af eared  of;  I'll  begin  this  minute  to  prac 
tise  Jimmy,  for  I'm  bound  he  won't  be  a 
dumb  waiter  the  night  of  that  party." 

Jimmy  whittling  a  long  stick  in  the 


232  MINT  JULEP 

corner,  cast  a  doubtful  look  at  his  ener 
getic  parent. 

"  Yer  aint  a  goin  ter  make  me  speak 
'fore  all  those  people,  are  yer? " 

'  Yes  I  am  Jimmy,  an'  you  can  jest 
drop  that  stick  an'  stan'  right  up  in  the 
middle  o'  the  room  an'  say  the  piece  I've 
been  larnin'  yer  fer  weeks." 

Jimmy  laid  the  stick  carefully  on  the 
floor,  and  arose  with  a  most  dejected  air; 
thrusting  both  hands  deep  into  his  pock 
ets,  he  advanced  to  the  centre  of  the  room. 

:'  Well  I  never!  I  declare  to  goodness 
Jimmy,  after  all  I  have  said,  you  would 
do  it  wouldn't  yer !  Take  them  hands  out 
o'  yer  pockets,  quick;  now  make  the  bow 
I  learned  yer,  stand  up  straight  like  a  man, 
throw  out  your  chist  a  little  an'  try  an' 
be  some  one  even  if  it  hurts  yer." 

When  Jimmy  found  that  he  could  not 
hide  his  hands  in  any  safe  place  out  of 
sight,  he  braced  them  squarely  a  little 
above  the  knees,  then  having  tried  in  vain 
to  recall  the  Mint  Julep  bow,  he  gave  his 
head  a  sudden  jerk  forward,  and  stood 


WILLIAM'S  WELCOME     233 

like  a  wooden  image  looking  fearfully  at 
his  mother. 

"  No  Jimmy,  that  won't  do,  there's  bows 
an'  bow-wows, —  that  looked  like  yer  head 
was  on  a  hinge  an'  yer  slammed  yer  face 
at  some  one  jest  fer  spite.  You  should 
make  it  sorter  graceful  an'  sweepin'  like 
this  "- 

Mint  stepped  forward  in  the  act  of  in 
structing  her  young  hopeful  in  the  art  of 
making  what  to  her  mind  was  an  ideal 
bow;  she  had  not  however  measured  her 
distances  in  the  small  kitchen  correctly 
and  had  backed  into  Ham  and  Eg,  who 
in  all  the  innocent  sweetness  of  childhood, 
were  smearing  each  others'  faces  with 
black  from  the  stove. 

The  twins  were  knocked  down,  and  sup 
posing  this  was  some  new  and  fearful 
punishment  for  their  misdemeanors,  they 
immediately  set  up  a  terrible  howl  which 
had  the  effect  for  a  few  minutes  at  least, 
of  spoiling  Mint's  lesson  in  deportment. 

At  last  quiet  was  restored  and  Jimmy 
made  another  bow. 


234  MINT  JULEP 

"  Wot  makes  him  throw  out  his  stum- 
mick  so,"  whispered  Tommy. 

"  Hush  Tommy,  that  was  a  real  good 
bow, —  that  was  wot  the  perf essor  would 
call  tryin'  to  emphasize  hisself,  which  he 
has  a  perf eck  right  to  do.  —  Now  Jimmy, 
look  the  world  an'  the  devil  right  squar 
in  the  eye  an'  say  your  piece." 

If  Mint  Julep  represented  both  sub 
jects  of  this  proposition,  Jimmy  could  not 
have  looked  with  more  awe  and  fear  in 
his  boyish  face,  as  he  struggled  through 
his  lines. 


CHAPTER  XXX 

A  BASHFUL  HERO 

4  6  Tt  yrOTHER.  who  be  that  comin'  up 
I  yj  the  beach,  carpet  bag,  slouch 
'  hat?" 

Mrs.  Tom  Julep  of  Little  Acres,  sit 
ting  beside  her  husband  in  the  sands  at 
Wintop  looked  up  quickly  and  gave  a  per 
ceptible  start  at  sight  of  the  young  man 
approaching.  "  My  sakes,  father,  it  looks 
like  our  William." 

"  That's  jest  who  'tis,  Phoebe,  we'll  not 
say  one  word,  we'll  jest  give  him  a  sur 
prise  when  he  gits  near,"  but  strange  to 
say  William  Julep  did  not  come  near. 
Instead  of  taking  the  path  that  led  home, 
he  kept  on  his  way  and  passed  his  parents 
without  ever  seeing  them.  Tom  Julep 
jumped  to  his  feet.  "  Come  on  Mother, 
we'll  f  oiler ;  tarnal  strange  thet  a  man  ain't 
235 


236  MINT  JULEP 

going  direc'  home  who  has  been  away 
from  his  wife  an'  family  all  this  time." 

"  They  ain't  his  family,"  observed 
Phoebe,  tartly. 

"  Wa'al  if  they  ain't  his  then  whose  be 
they  I  should  like  to  know.  Don't  ye  lose 
sight  of  the  fact,  Mother,  that  when  Wil 
liam  Julep  married  Mint,  he  tuk  her  an' 
wot  belongs  to  her ;  them  childern  are  hers, 
they  are  bone  of  her  bone  an'  flesh  of  her 
flesh,  she  has  marriel  William  an'  they 
are  one,  therefore  ain't  it  common  sense 
thet  them  children  belong  to  him  too?  " 

Phoebe  pursed  up  her  lips  and  did  not 
answer.  There  was  much  about  Mint 
Julep  that  did  not  wholly  please  the 
mother  of  Mint's  husband.  If  she  had 
the  selecting  of  her  son's  wife  she  never 
would  have  chosen  Araminta  which  only 
goes  to  show  that  she  was  not  unlike  all 
the  other  mothers  of  sons  in  this  old  world. 
But  she  had  lived  long  enough  with  Tom 
Julep  to  know  that  he  always  had  the 
best  of  an  argument  and  in  some  mys 
terious  way  which  she  could  never  quite 


understand  he  gained  his  point  and  led 
her  into  the  paths  of  his  wisdom.  There 
fore  she  found  herself  hurrying  along  be 
side  him,  wondering  and  anxious  because 
William  Julep  whose  coming  had  been 
looked  forward  to,  was  not  going  home, 
and  disappointed  that  this  was  so. 

'  Where  in  ternation  is  that  id  jit  a  goin' 
I  should  like  to  know,"  observed  Tom, 
when  William,  after  walking  briskly  for 
about  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  suddenly  turned 
into  a  bit  of  woods.  His  parents  follow 
ing  closely  suddenly  perceived  a  huge 
bowlder  lying  in  his  path.  Behind  this 
bowlder  William  Julep  disappeared  from 
sight. 

Tom  Julep  stood  as  if  rooted  to  the 
spot  and  ran  a  long  finger  through  his 
sparse  locks.  '  Wa'al  I'll  be  dinged  if 
thet  ain't  the  strangest  thing  I  ever  see. 
Wot  in  time  is  he  doin'  behind  thet  rock 
mother? " 

"  I'm  sure  I  don't  know,  father.  Wil 
liam  was  allus  kind  of  distant,  he's  orful 
bashful  an' — " 


238  MINT  JULEP 

Tom  interrupted  her  with  a  chuckle. 
He  rubbed  his  hip  pocket  and  as  Mint 
would  have  said  "  smiled  tremenjus." 
"  I  have  it,  mother,  come  on,  follow  me." 
Tom  Julep  ran  ahead  like  a  boy  and  in 
another  minute  was  on  top  of  the  rock 
looking  down  on  William  sitting  on  the 
grass  wiping  his  face  with  a  red  hand 
kerchief. 

"  Howdo,  father,"  said  William,  look 
ing  up  as  if  it  was  the  most  natural  thing 
in  the  world  for  his  parent  to  be  smiling 
down  at  him  from  that  lofty  position. 

"  Naow,  William,"  said  Tom,  stepping 
down  from  the  rock,  "  I  jest  want  to  know 
what  in  tarnation  air  you  doin'  here? 
Here's  mother  jest  arrived,  she  wants  to 
know  too." 

"  Howdo,  mother,"  said  William,  still 
wiping  his  face  vigorously  with  a  red 
handkerchief. 

"  Wot  are  yer  doin'  behind  this  rock, 
William?  " 

"  O,  I'm  just  restin'." 

"  Restin',  well  I'll  be  dinged.     You've 


A  BASHFUL  HERO        239 

been  restin'  on  steam  kyars  for  'bout  a 
week  now  hain't  yer?  "  „ 

"  Ya'as." 

:<  Wa'al  I  should  think  you'd  got  so 
much  settin'  that  ye'd  want  to  git  out  an' 
swim  on  dry  land  somewhar.  Naow  it 
beats  my  sense  of  reason,  William,  that  a 
man  who  has  got  the  best  wife  in  the 
world,  an'  who  has  been  away  for  months, 
ain't  a  hurryin'  home  to  her." 

William  looked  quickly  at  his  father  a 
gleam  of  interest  in  his  mild  blue  eyes, 
"  Yer  like  Mint,  father?  " 

"  Like  her.  Course  I  like  her.  She's 
a  woman  in  ten  thousand.  Why,  ding 
me  if  Mint  Julep  was  a  man,  she'd  be 
runnin'  a  circus  or  the  President  of  the 
United  States." 

During  this  eulogy  Mrs.  Tom  Julep 
pursed  up  her  lips  but  maintained  a  dis 
creet  silence.  William's  face  broke  into 
a  smile. 

"  Ya'as  I  think  she's  right  smart, 
father." 

"  Smart  ain't  the  word.     She's  a  born 


240  MINT  JULEP 

genus,  that's  wot  she  is.  Yer  ot  to  be 
proud  of  a  wife  like  that  William." 

"  Wa'al  I  be." 

"  Then  why  in  time  ain't  yer  home  a 
tellin'  her  so.  Here  she's  been  expectin' 
of  yer,  an'  plannin'  fer  yer,  an'  stead  of 
runnin'  home  to  greet  the  best  wife  a  man 
ever  had  yer  sneak  off  an'  hide  behind  a 
rock.  I'll  be  dinged  if  it  ain't  enuff  to 
make  a  woman  like  Mint  git  a  deevorce." 

"  I  didn't  mean  nothin',  father,"  began 
William,  looking  scared.  "  I  think  a  lot 
of  Mint  but  I  jest  —  wa'al — 'twas  like 
this.  Yer  see  Mint  is  orful  courageous. 
She  could  face  a  army  an'  give  'em  talk. 
She  likes  a  lot  of  folks  round  an'  some- 
thin'  to  stir  yer  up  an'  all  that,  an'  I  al 
lowed  as  how  I'd  jest  lay  low  so  to  speak 
till  it  got  a  leetle  dark  an'  then  I  would  go 
home  quiet  like  an'  there  wouldn't  be  no 
fuss  nor  nothin'  an'  no  folks  round  to  see." 

Tom  Julep  thought  of  the  party 
planned  in  William's  honor  and  his  shoul 
ders  shook  with  mirth  but  he  said  soberly, 

"  Git  up,  William,  an'  go  home." 


CHAPTER  XXXI 

THE   PARTY 

4  4T  Tf  TILLIAM  I  think  it's  no  more 

y   y      'n  fair  that  you  should  say 

somethin'  to-night  when  the 

folks  git  here.     They  all  know  I'm  havin' 

this  party  jest  for  you  an'  it's  only  right 

an'  proper  that  you  should  make  a  speech 

ter  welcome  'em. 

"  They'll  expect  it ;  people  have  parties 
to  bring  folks  out ;  makin'  a  depew  is  what 
the  perfesser  called  it.  Now  a  depew  is 
nothin'  without  a  little  speech." 

It  was  early  evening  in  the  Julep 
kitchen  the  night  of  the  party. 

Mint  in  a  ferment  of  excitement,  was 
putting  away  the  supper  dishes  while 
"  Par  "  Julep,  and  her  silent  partner,  sit 
ting  on  opposite  sides  of  the  stove,  were 
having  a  quiet  smoke. 

241 


242  MINT  JULEP 

"Don't  you  think  Par  that  William 
ought  ter  make  a  little  speech  tonight? " 
said  Mint. 

"  A  course  he'd  ought  ter." 

"  Speechifyin'  ain't  so  hard,"  continued 
Mint  encouragingly,  "  'tain't  so  much  wot 
you  say,  it's  how  you  say  it ;  look  at  them 
politician  fellers  that  all  the  people  go 
to  hear,  'tain't  wot  they  say  so  much  that 
counts." 

"  No,"  said  Tom  with  a  chuckle,  "  it's 
wot  they  don't  say  sometimes,  thet  counts. 
But  jest  the  same  Mint  speechifyin'  ain't 
so  easy  neither." 

"  It  has  allus  seemed  to  me  the  easiest 
thing  in  this  world  ter  do,"  declared  Mint. 
"  A  man  can  say  a  word  any  wheres  'cept 
at  his  own  funeral;  any  one  with  a  live 
windpipe  can  make  a  speech.  I  shall 
never  forgit  one  Saturday  night,  jest  af 
ter  William  had  come  here  from  Little 
Acres;  me  an'  him  was  doin'  our  mar- 
ketin'  an'  we  see  a  torch  light  wagon  with 
a  feller  standin'  in  it  makin'  a  speech,  an' 


THE  PARTY  243 

a  great  big  crowd  standin'  around  listenin' 
to  him. 

"  Don't  you  remember  that,  William?  " 

At  the  mention  of  his  name  William 
looked  up  to  see  his  spouse  pointing  a  cup 
at  him;  he  removed  his  pipe  and  bowed 
affirmatively. 

"  Of  course  you  remember,  William, 
an'  the  very  words  he  said  comes  back  ter 
me  now,  for  we  stood  with  the  rest  to 
listen. ' ' 

" '  I  tell  you  friends,'  says  he,  '  some 
thing  is  wrong  somewhars,'  says  he, '  some 
thing  is  rotten  in  Denmark ' ;  an'  they 
clapped  an'  cheered  an'  shouted  an'  gev  him 
a  pitcher  to  drink,  they  was  so  pleased." 

"  I  bet  he  was  a  Democrat,"  observed 
Tom  Julep. 

"  He  was  a  plumber  'cause  I  heard  a 
man  say  so, —  but  I  shall  never  forgit 
them  words,  an'  the  way  they  clapped  him 
for  say  in'  'em  — '  Something  is  wrong 
somewheres,  something  is  rotten  in  Den 
mark.' —  I  know  'em  by  heart.  You 


244  MINT  JULEP 

know  them  words,  don't  yer  William? " 

"  Ya'as." 

'  Well  all  you've  got  ter  say  tonight  is 
stand  right  up  an'  tell  the  folks  your  real 
glad  to  be  't  home,  pleased  ter  see  them. 
Think  of  that  feller  in  the  torch  light 
wagon  and  say  something  smart  like  him; 
them  words  were  easy  enough,  a  child 
could  say  'em,  '  something  is  rotten  some- 
wheres,'  ain't  thet  so  Par?  " 

;'  Why  thet's  the  whole  campaign 
speeches  in  a  nut  shell,"  said  Par,  "  ding 
me  'f  thet  feller  warn't  bright.  But  look 
a  here,  Mint,  don't  yer  think  seein'  as 
William  ain't  much  on  talkin',  thet  you'd 
better  let  him  go  'long  kind  o'  easy  like, 
an'  never  mind  the  speech?  —  You  could 
say  somethin'  yerself,  an'  that  'd  take  the 
cuss  off  it." 

'  'Course  I'll  say  something,"  said 
Mint,  "  but  I  know  human  nater  an'  I 
don't  want  ter  disappint  folks;  they'll  be 
twice  as  pleased  if  William  says  some 
thing.  " 

"  Now  I  have  no  more  'n  time  to  put 


THE  PARTY  245 

Ham  an'  Eg  to  bed  an'  then  help  Bess 
to  dress  the  other  childern." 

The  twins  paddling  their  fingers  in  a 
huge  bowl  of  lemonade  were  immediately 
pounced  upon  by  Mint  and  carried  off 
upstairs,  one  under  each  arm. 

"  You'll  git  nothin'  more  than  a  lick 
an'  a  promise  to-night,"  said  Mint,  "  for 
I've  got  ter  fix  my  hair  an'  lots  o'  things 
yet  'fore  them  folks  gits  here." 

At  last  the  twins  were  snugly  tucked 
in,  and  Mint  proceeded  to  make  a  hasty 
toilet.  She  arranged  her  hair  with  the  nu 
merous  puffs,  curls,  and  "  hay-lows  "  that 
Bella  Ball  had  given  her  and  putting  on 
her  best  black  dress  and  white  apron,  she 
descended  to  the  sitting  room  to  find  the 
children  all  dressed  and  looking  fresh  and 
sweet  as  could  be,  thanks  to  Bess  Tobey. 

A  wooden  bench  from  the  back  yard 
was  brought  into  use  and  Mamie  and 
Tommy  and  Jimmy  warned  to  sit  on  it 
and  "  not  git  off,"  till  told  to  do  so.  Bud 
had  a  small  chair  all  to  herself;  Mint  pat 
ted  her  on  the  cheek  and  told  the  child 


246  MINT  JULEP 

she  was  proud  of  her,  because  she  was 
"  sech  a  little  lady." 

Ma  Julep  was  given  the  rocking  chair, 
and  to  Mint's  practical  eye  it  was 
very  evident  that  there  would  not  be 
chairs  enough  for  everybody.  Bess  To- 
bey  declared  that  she  and  Mazie  Kelly 
could  sit  very  nicely  on  the  folding  bed, 
and  if  necessary  they  could  borrow  a  few 
chairs  from  Mrs.  McPeak. 

At  this  point  Pa  Julep  appeared  and 
seeing  the  difficulty  said  not  to  bother 
about  him  as  he'd  just  as  soon  "  roost  " 
on  the  window  sill;  but  Mint  insisted  on 
his  having  a  chair  and  putting  a  hassock 
under  his  feet,  and  Pa  being  tall,  his  knees 
were  very  much  in  evidence. 

Mint  was  still  bustling  about,  putting 
a  finishing  touch  here  and  there,  when  the 
first  guest  arrived  in  the  person  of  Mr. 
Voneye,  the  stout  little  German. 

His  broad  face  was  rounded  in  smiles 
under  the  soft  Alpine  hat  which  he  waved 
aside  with  a  low  bow  as  he  entered  the 
room. 


THE  PARTY  247 

Almost  on  his  steps  came  Mrs.  Kelly 
and  her  pretty  daughter.  When  Scotty 
McPeak  and  his  wife  arrived,  a  few  mo 
ments  later,  a  constant  chatter  was  kept 
up, —  Mint  leading  of  course,  with  the 
little  German  a  close  second. 

Suddenly  Mint  glided  from  the  room; 
she  rushed  into  the  kitchen  to  find  Wil 
liam  Julep  smoking  peacefully,  to  all  ap 
pearances  utterly  unconscious  of  all  that 
was  going  on  in  the  little  sitting  room  in 
his  honor. 

"  Why  William  Julep  git  up  at  onct, 
the  folks  hev  arrived  an'  their  waitin'  fer 

you." 

"  Waitin'  fer  me? "  asked  William  in 
nocently. 

"  Yes  waitin'  fer  you ;  good  lands  you 
ain't  got  on  thet  red  necktie  I  bought, 
neither.  I'll  git  it." 

Like  a  flash  Mint  turned  and  flew  up 
stairs,  reappearing  in  a  moment  with  the 
new  necktie. 

"  Naow  William  stand  up  an'  put  this 
on, —  you've  got  enough  ile  on  yer  hair 


248  MINT  JULEP 

ter  grease  a  steam  enjine;  but  you  look 
real  nice  an'  that  tie  is  becomin'  cause  it 
matches  yer  complexion. 

"  An  you  must  say  somethin'  William, 
folks  allus  do  at  a  time  like  this;  jest  some 
little  thing." 

"  Wot?  "  asked  William  struggling  to 
arrange  the  tie. 

"  Why  say  you're  glad  ter  see  'em,  tell 
'em  how  a  man  goes  off  an'  is  glad  to  git 
back;  think  o'  that  politician  feller  in  the 
torch  light  wagon  - 

"  Look  here  Mint,  why  couldn't  you  go 
in  thar  an'  tell  'em  all  that  f  er  me." 

"William  Julep!" 

"  Fact  is  Mint,  I  ain't  feelin'  real 
spunky  tonight,  an'  I'd  kind  o'  like  to  go 
to  bed." 

"Hounds  o'  Goshen!  William  Julep 
if  you  was  ter  go  to  bed  tonight,  I'd  be 
disgraced  fer  life.  Ain't  I  havin'  this 
party  jest  fer  you?  " 

"Ya'as." 

"  There's  no  reason  in  this  world  that 
would  send  a  "man  to  bed  the  night  of 


THE  PARTY  249 

his  depew,  onless  he  was  struck  by  light- 
nin'  or  chills  an'  fever  or  somethin'  ekally 
bad.  An'  if  you  was  struck  William,  af 
ter  all  the  plannin'  I  hev  done  fer  this, 
I'd  hev  you  carried  inter  thet  room  with 
ice  on  yer  head.  Now  come  along." 

The  next  moment  Mint  Julep  appeared 
before  the  guests,  leading  in  the  conquered 
hero  of  the  occasion. 

"  Ladies  and  Gentlemen,"  said  Mint, 
holding  William's  arm  at  the  threshold, 
"  this  is  my  husband,  William  Julep, 
who's  been  away  as  yer  know,  an'  he's 
offul  pleased  ter  see  you  all;  he's  goin'  ter 
say  a  few  words  ter  express  his  pleasure 
at  meetin'  yer,  jest  a  little  speech." 

Silence  and  expectation  now  reigned 
supreme.  Mint  nudged  William  furi 
ously  and  William  straightened  up  and 
coughed,  then  coughed  and  straightened 
up  again.  Mint  smiled  into  his  face  en 
couragingly  and  once  more  William 
coughed. 

A  sharp  pull  inside  his  coat  reused  Wil 
liam  to  action. 


250  MINT  JULEP 

"  Wa'al  friends,  I'm  right  glad  ter  be  d' 
home  agin,  hope  yer'll  be  the  same.  A 
man  goes  off  an'  gits  back,  an-an'  goes 
off  agin.  There's  somethin'  wrong  some- 
where's  somethin'  is  —  is  rottin  in  —  in  — 
in  Maine,  an' —  I  alms  vote  the  straight 
Republican  ticket." 

"  Do  you  know  what  iss  rotten  in  dot 
place,  dot  Maine?  Brohibition,"  declared 
Voneye  bringing  his  fist  down  on  the  arm 
of  the  chair,  while  William  was  led  tri 
umphantly  to  a  seat  by  his  proud  partner, 
the  guests  still  clapping  his  speech. 

"  You  say  dot  you  always  votes  the 
straid  Republican  ticket,  my  friendt,"  said 
Mr.  Voneye,  "  if  you  do  dot,  you  makes  a 
meestake." 

"  Haows  that,"  said  Tom  Julep  scent 
ing  a  political  argument. 

"  Why  are  you  Republican,  tell  me  dot," 
said  Voneye. 

"Well,"  said  Tom,  "fust  place  my 
father  was  a  Republican  and  my  grand 
father  was  a  Republican,  an'  'twouldn't 
surprise  me  if  they  was  yit." 


THE  PARTY  251 

"  So-o?  a  man  iss  Dutch,  his  fader  was 
a  Dutch  und  his  great  grandfader  wass  a 
Dutch  —  he  couldn't  helb  it, —  see?  but 
dots  not  de  way  to  git  your  polidicks.  The 
Republican  pardy  iss  good  for  someting, 
de  Democratic  party  iss  not  bad  for  nod- 
ing —  und  which  I  take?  I  don't  know 
yet.  I  picks  oud  de  best  man  ever  time 
und  votes  for  him  —  no  pardy  owns  me." 

"  Wa'al  we  don't  do  it  that  way  mis 
ter,"  replied  Tom,  "  I'd  vote  the  Repub 
lican  ticket  if  they  digged  up  the  mouldin' 
remains  of  one,  and  put  him  up  for  Presi 
dent." 

"Well  I  never,"  said  Mint,  who  had 
listened  intently  during  this  argument; 
"  Par  is  offul  strong  in  his  faith  an'  poli 
tics." 

'  You  are  wrong  my  friendt,"  said 
Voneye,  "  de  best  man  de  best  way  for  me, 
and  Von  Groll  find  dat  oud  he  came  to  dis 
country  ven  he  vas  only  nine  years  old." 

'  You  know  my  friendt  Von  Groll?  " 
asked  Voneye  turning  suddenly  to  Wil 
liam,  who  shook  his  head  in  denial.  "  Veil 


252  MINT  JULEP 

he  can  pull  your  jaw  oudt  vile  you  vait, 
mit  shust  his  fist." 

William  looked  mildly  surprised  at  this 
remarkable  statement,  but  Scotty  McPeak 
who  up  to  this  time  had  maintained  a  dig 
nified  silence,  laughed  aloud. 

"  What's  thot  ye  say?  "  asked  Scotty. 

'  Von  Groll  can  pull  you  oudt  mit  his 
fist,  he  is  a  tood  extractor,  vat  you  call  a 
dentist,"  replied  Voneye. 

"  I  want  ter  know,"  cried  Tom  Julep, 
"  quite  a  feat!  " 

"  No  feet,  he  does  it  mit  his  thumb  und 
finger, —  so." 

The  little  German  opened  his  mouth 
very  wide,  placed  his  thumb  and  finger  on 
a  side  tooth,  and  proceeded  to  demonstrate 
the  movement. 

Jimmy  was  so  intently  interested  in  this 
performance,  that  he  arose  from  the  bench 
and  tried  to  look  down  Mr.  Voneye's 
throat.  Mint  coughed  twice,  and  finally 
had  to  pull  Jimmy  into  position. 

"  Seems  ter  me  kind  o'  dreadful,"  said 
Mrs.  Julep,  who  in  spite  of  family  cares, 


THE  PARTY  253 

did  not  lose  her  hold  on  the  conversation. 

"  Don't  it  seem  so  ter  you?  " 

Mrs.  McPeak  and  Mrs.  Kelly  thus  ad 
dressed,  declared  it  must  be  "  perfectly 
horrid." 

"  I  heard  tell  of  a  man  onct,"  said  Tom 
Julep,  "  who  could  rub  yer  rheumatiz  away 
with  his  hand.  I  alms  thot  thet  there  was 
some  kind  o'  witchcraft  in  it;  as  fer  me 
I've  carried  a  hoss  chestnut  in  my  pocket 
fer  upward  of  twenty  year." 

At  this  point  in  the  conversation  there 
was  a  dull  thud  over-head  and  Mint 
jumped  to  her  feet  and  made  a  hasty  exit. 

"  Guess  them  twins  has  fell  outer  bed," 
observed  Tom. 

"  O  I  hope  the  little  darlin's  don't  get 
hurtit,"  said  Mrs.  McPeak,  while  every 
body  looked  anxious. 

"  No  more  than  if  they  was  inja  rub 
ber,"  said  Mint  reappearing  just  in  time 
to  hear  the  solicitous  remarks.  "  Don't 
you  never  worry  too  much  about  babies; 
lots  of  things  that  would  kill  a  man  jest 
tickle  a  baby.  When  my  Jimmy  there 


254  MINT  JULEP 

was  a  baby  he  swallowed  a  whole  bottle  o' 
bluein'.  I  was  washin'  at  the  time, —  well 
I  made  him  drink  soapsuds,  till  his  insides 
had  a  regular  Monday  wash." 

All  eyes  were  now  directed  toward 
Jimmy,  who  bore  these  glances  bravely; 
then  all  at  once  his  mother  said  "  Jimmy 
has  a  real  taste  fer  ellercootion ;  Jimmy 
rise  up  an'  say  yer  piece  fer  the  compny." 

Jimmy  cast  one  look  at  his  mother  and 
then  evidently  made  up  his  mind  that  "if 
t'were  done  when  'tis  done,  'twere  well  it 
were  done  quickly." 

With  hands  thrust  deeply  into  his  pock 
ets,  Jimmy  advanced  to  the  centre  of  the 
room,  gave  the  title  of  his  piece,  and  then 
remembering  the  bow,  stopped  short, 
gazed  at  his  mother  and  jerked  his  head 
forward  twice. 

"  Charge  o'  the  Li  Brigade,"  repeated 
Jimmy,  after  the  second  jerk,  and  then 
being  fairly  started,  he  went  along  with 
out  a  pause  for  breath  or  anything  else, 
until  he  reached  "  the  mouth  of  Hell," 
and  there  he  stuck. 


THE  PARTY  255 

In  vain  he  went  back  into  "  the  jaws  of 
death,"  and  repeated  the  lines  over  and 
over,  all  the  while  looking  fearfully  at  his 
mother,  whose  mouth  twitched  nervously 
as  she  watched  Jimmy's  desperate  encoun 
ter  with  his  memory. 

"  That's  very  good,  son,  now  go  on," 
said  Mint  and  again  Jimmy,  with  a  great 
gulp,  repeated,  "  into  the  jaws  of  death, 
into  the  mouth  o'  Hell,"  but  it  was  no  use, 
that  was  as  far  as  he  could  get. 

"  Well  Jimmy  let  'em  be,  yer  can't  very 
well  get  'em  back  anyway,"  said  Tom 
Julep  coming  to  the  rescue  of  the  fright 
ened  boy. 

This  remark  caused  Scotty  McPeak  to 
laugh  immoderately,  while  Jimmy  backed 
to  his  seat,  and  in  lieu  of  handkerchief 
which  his  mother  had  carefully  placed  in 
his  outside  pocket,  he  wiped  the  perspira 
tion  from  his  boyish  brow,  with  the  sleeve 
of  his  blouse. 

The  guests  applauded  Jimmy's  efforts 
vigorously,  and  Mrs.  Kelly  declared  that 
it  was  "  perfectly  splendid." 


256  MINT  JULEP 

"  Now  Tommy,"  said  Mint,  "  you  stand 
up  an'  play  Home,  Sweet  Home,  for  the 
ladies  an'  gents." 

Tommy  picked  up  his  cornet  and  ad 
vanced  directly  in  front  of  Mr.  Voneye. 
Mint  sat  very  straight,  every  nerve  on  the 
alert  for  the  proud  performance,  which 
she  felt  in  some  measure  would  make 
amends  for  Jimmy's  short-coming. 

Tommy  had  on  a  pair  of  red  trousers 
which  Mint  had  made  for  the  occasion  out 
of  an  old  shawl.  An  immense  red  bow 
stood  out  almost  to  his  ears. 

All  the  ladies  present  except  Ma  Julep, 
cast  admiring  glances  at  Tommy's  trous 
ers,  and  whispered,  loud  enough  for  his 
fond  mother  to  hear,  very  complimentary 
remarks  about  them. 

Whether  it  was  the  tight  little  trousers, 
and  they  were  very  tight,  or  the  great  bow 
under  Tommy's  chin,  certain  it  is  that 
Tommy  looked  ready  to  burst,  before  he 
even  started  to  play. 

The  company  were  silent  again,  and 
Tommy  raised  the  cornet  to  his  lips,  while 


THE  PARTY  257 

uneven  strains  of  Home,  Sweet  Home  is 
sued  forth  as  it  were,  in  gasps. 

As  Tommy  proceeded,  his  little  fat  face 
began  to  rival  the  red  trousers  in  color. 

Tom  Julep  eyed  the  boy  anxiously. 
Everybody  felt  there  was  a  crisis  coming, 
and  it  seemed  to  Tom  there  was  a  strong 
possibility  of  Tommy's  swelling  to  the 
bursting  point. 

At  last  Tommy  gave  one  long,  final 
blow  as  a  sort  of  climax,  when  suddenly 
Mr.  Voneye,  gazing  calmly  at  the  ceiling 
all  unconscious  of  impending  danger,  was 
struck  fairly  on  the  stomach  by  a  large 
button  from  the  little  trousers. 

"  Gott  you  vas  too  dight,  Tommy," 
flashed  Voneye,  risking  a  stroke  of  apo 
plexy  in  his  efforts  to  catch  the  button  that 
had  dropped  to  the  floor  and  had  rolled 
away  under  the  voluminous  folds  of  Mrs. 
Kelly's  dress.  That  lady  jumped  to  her 
feet  quickly  and  then  everybody  in  the 
room  tried  to  get  that  button. 

Mazie  Kelly,  her  pretty  rosy  face 
wreathed  in  smiles,  cried  "  button,  button. 


258  MINT  JULEP 

whose  got  the  button."  All  at  once  Jim 
my  who  had  followed  its  course  with  the 
trained  eye  of  a  marble  player,  suddenly 
pounced  upon  it  and  held  it  up  in  triumph. 

If  Mrs.  Julep  felt  uneasy  for  a  moment 
at  this  slight  mishap  to  Tommy,  the  pride 
she  had  in  his  musical  performance  soon 
dominated  every  other  feeling. 

With  beaming  face  Mint  looked  around 
from  one  to  another,  as  if  to  challenge 
them  to  state  whether  or  no  they  had  ever 
heard  anything  quite  so  clever. 

"  It  was  perfectly  grand,  wasn't  it  Ma," 
said  Mazie  Kelly,  but  her  mother  was 
squinting  so  hard  at  the  little  trousers  to 
see  if  they  were  going  to  hold,  she  did  not 
hear  the  first  part  of  the  remark,  and  sup 
posing  that  her  daughter  referred  to  the 
accident,  said  quickly,  "  'twas  orful,  'twas 
a  shame,  his  troath  was  chokin'  him,  the 
poor  boy,  and  med  him  swell  up  and  bust 
his  buttons." 

"  It's  better  to  be  too  loose  than  too 
tight,  hey  Tommy?"  said  Tom  Julep,  "  es- 


THE  PARTY  259 

pecially  when  yer  not  playin'  a  shrinkin' 
part." 

Mint,  smiling  and  happy,  whispered 
something  to  Bess  Tobey  and  they  left  the 
room,  reappearing  shortly  with  the  lem 
onade  and  cake. 

Tommy  in  spite  of  his  mother's  warn 
ing  ate  three  pieces,  and  asked  everybody 
in  the  room  if  they  wanted  theirs. 

It  was  while  the  merry  guests  were  par 
taking  of  the  refreshments  that  Mr.  Von- 
eye,  who  up  to  this  time  had  been  the  life 
of  the  party,  grew  strangely  quiet. 

Tom  Julep  said  afterward  that  he 
thought  the  little  German  looked  home 
sick.  Whether  it  was  the  glass  of  lemon 
ade,  which  he  held  on  his  knee  but  did 
not  drink,  or  whether  Tommy's  playing 
Home,  Sweet  Home,  had  brought  on  this 
tender  feeling,  I  cannot  say. 

He  was  the  first  to  arise  and  declare  he 
had  to  leave  the  "  blessant  compny." 

"  Gid  more  vind,  Tommy,"  said  Mr. 
Voneye,  patting  the  boy  on  the  head,  "  gid 


260  MINT  JULEP 

more  vind,  and  you  be  a'right,  you  will 
yet  be  a  great  moosician."  He  then  made 
a  nice  little  speech,  at  the  end  of  which  he 
bowed  individually  and  collectively  to  all 
present.  Indeed  Mr.  Voneye's  speech  and 
generous  bowing,  set  all  the  company  bow 
ing. 

Mrs.  Kelly  began  to  drop  courtesies  to 
everybody  as  if  she  were  dancing  the  min 
uet;  and  after  squinting  hard  at  a  plaster 
cast  of  Miles  Standish,  which  she  mistook 
for  Voneye,  she  courtesied  several  times 
to  Miles. 

Scotty  McPeak  shook  hands  with  Tom 
and  William  Julep  and  said  he  hoped  they 
were  well. 

Tom  said  he  was  feeling  "  tolerable  an' 
good  as  could  be  expected." 

Then  the  ladies  said  they  must  go,  and 
that  they  had  "  enjoyed  it  most  onusual." 
Mrs.  McPeak  said  she  never  had  such  a 
perfectly  lovely  time. 

When  the  door  had  closed  on  the  last 
guest,  Mint,  tired  but  triumphant,  looked 
at  the  man  for  whom  all  this  honor  and 


THE  PARTY  261 

glory  had  been  consummated.  There  was 
a  look  of  benign  satisfaction  on  her  honest 
face  and  she  felt  that  her  husband  must  be 
duly  impressed  with  the  grandeur  of  his 
reception. 

"  William  if  I  do  say  it,  I  hope  you  see 
how  your  fam'ly  done  you  tonight,  an* 
done  you  proud!  I'll  bet  your  Mar  and 
Par  was  intertaint  this  night  as  they  never 
was  in  Little  Acres." 

"I'm  bound  your  fam'ly  '11  hev  a  cultur' 
on  'em." 

"  I  onct  heard  the  perfesser  say  that  lots 
o'  people  in  Boston  was  more  intrested  in 
prize  fights  than  cultur'  but  you'd  never 
think  so  if  you  see  the  money  they  spent 
to  git  cultur'  from  the  perfesser." 

"  William  you  have  got  a  wife  an  fam'ly 
that's  got  a  cultur'  on  'em  an'  that's  all  I've 
got  ter  say." 

"  William  Julep  didn't  you  feel  proud 
this  night?" 

"Wa'alya'asMint,Idid." 


CHAPTER  XXXII 

PAR  AND  MAR  SAY  GOOD-BYE 

4  4 "IT  JT  TELL  this  time  tomorrer  morn- 

V  y      in'  you'll  be  havin'  your  coffee 

d'home  in  Little  Acres,"  said 

Mint,  as  she  lingered  at  the  breakfast  table 

with  her  guests,  the  morning  after  the 

party. 

"Yep,  that's  right,  Mint,"  said  Tom 
Julep,  "  so  we  will  an'  though  I  shall  be 
glad  to  git  home  once  more,  I'm  reel  sorry 
to  be  leavin'  yer  all  as  I  have  enjiyed  my 
stay  tremenjus,  ain't  we,  mother?  " 

"  Yes,  indeed  we  have,  but  I'm  gettin' 
kinder  anxious  now  to  git  back.  It's  most 
time  I  was  startin'  on  my  preserves.  Wot 
time  did  you  say  the  train  started,  father?  " 

"  Great  Mespotamy !  Did  you  know 
the  time  was  gittin'  close,"  said  par,  taking 
out  his  timepiece. 

"  Guess  I'll  haul  that  trunk  out  an'  be- 
262 


GOOD-BYE  263 

gin  ter  pack.  I've  got  lots  more  goin' 
home  than  I  had  comin'  here.  I  guess 
mebbe  you  have  got  enough  for  the  carpet 
bag  and  trunk  too,  hain't  yer,  father?  " 

"  Yep,  I  think  likely  I  have.  Yer  see 
we  have  all  those  does  that  Miss  Ball  sent 
over." 

'  Yes,  an'  you  orter  wear  that  plaid  suit 
of  Henery's  home,"  declared  Mint.  "  Mar 
let  down  them  pants  an'  I  bet  they're  jest 
right  now,  besides  they  will  look  reel  nice 
to  travel  in." 

"  Think  so,  Mint?" 

"  A  course  I  do,  they  are  reel  stylish, 
an'  jest  the  thing  for  a  gent." 

"  Well,  ding  me,  I'll  wear  'em  if  you 
say  so,  Mint.  I'll  git  the  trunk  and  carpet 
bag  filled  fust  an'  then  I'll  git  the  plaid 
suit  on." 

"  Mar,"  said  Mrs.  Julep,  "  I'm  a  going 
to  make  a  coffer  on  you  right  away.  It  is 
too  bad  not  to  use  up  them  puffs  an  cata 
racts  an'  things.  Jest  let  down  yer  hair 
an'  I'll  fix  yer  up  so  that  Little  Acres'll  set 
up  an'  take  notice  an'  reelize  that  you  have 


264  MINT  JULEP 

been  to  Boston.  I  should  make  it  a  pint, 
ma,  if  I  was  you  to  call  around  on  every 
livin'  soul  in  taown  when  yer  git  home  for 
fear  anyone  would  miss  sech  a  sight.  You 
tell  em  about  Bella  Ball  bein'  rich  an' 
handsome,  tell  em  that  in  these  days  in 
Boston,  women  are  buyin'  jest  two  things, 
cultur  an'  hair,  tell  'em  you've  seen  enuff 
cultur  right  in  your  own  William's  flock 
to  last  yer  all  yer  life  in  Little  Acres.  A 
course  I  hain't  braggin'  'bout  Tommy,  but 
you  could  say  with  truth  that  for  his  age 
the  way  he  tutes  on  a  brass  trumpet  is 
nuthin'  short  o'  marvelous.  Jimmy's 
mem'ry  went  back  on  him  the  night  we  had 
our  party,  to  be  sure,  but  nevertheless 
that  boy  has  got  it  in  him  to  be  a  Hello- 
quoshunist.  There  now,  Mar,  I  dew  think 
them  puffs  look  lovely.  Looks  as  if  your 
hair  was  shadin'  off  to  all  sorts  of  colors 
and  with  that  little  turban  it's  jest  grand." 
"  Well,  Mint,  I  was  jest  thinkin'  that  if 
you'd  jest  as  soon  I'd  rather  have  the  big 
hat  than  the  turbin  cause  it  shades  yer  eye 
from  the  sun." 


GOOD-BYE  265 

"  Certain  sure  it  does  an'  you  shall  have 
it  if  you  want  it.  You  look  jest  lovely, 
ma,  in  all  them  puffs.  I  bet  the  folks  in 
Little  Acres  will  jest  admire  to  see  yer, 
but  yer  don't  want  yer  hat  on  yet.  You're 
a  goin'  up  stairs  to  change  your  cloes  fust 
hain't  yer? " 

'  Yes,  I  guess  I'd  better  be  gittin'  ready 
too." 

When  Mint  was  alone  in  the  kitchen 
she  started  in  to  get  up  a  little  lunch  to  be 
eaten  on  the  train  by  the  travelers.  Shi 
had  hardly  finished  her  task  when  Tom 
Julep  burst  into  the  room,  collar  and 
necktie  in  hand. 

"  Look  here,  Mint,  it  jest  popped  inter 
my  head  that  we  had  a  trunk." 

:'  Well,  what  difference  does  that 
make,"  returned  Mint. 

"  Haow  are  we  goin'  to  git  it  to  the 
depot?" 

"  Why,  par,  I  never  thot  of  that. 
Warn't  it  stupid  o'  me.  Yer  see  you  didn't 
have  it  comin'  so  a  course  it  never  onct  en 
tered  my  head.  Now  you'd  orter  had  a 


266  MINT  JULEP 

express  man  call  to  git  it.  I  wonder  if 
it's  too  late  now?" 

"  Too  late,  nothin'.  I  wouldn't  go  with 
out  that  trunk  no  how." 

"  Where's  William?"  asked  Mint,  as  an 
idea  flashed  into  her  head. 

"  He  smokin'  out  back." 

4  William,  William,  come  here  a  sec 
ond,"  called  his  wife,  running  to  the  door. 

Very  shortly  William  pipe  in  hand  ap 
peared. 

'  William,  I  want  you  should  run  down 
to  Moon-light  Avenue,  jest  around  the 
corner  from  the  enjine  house,  there's  a 
furnitoor  movin'  man  lives  there  an'  mebbe 
he  could  come  rite  up  here  an'  take  pa's 
trunk.  Run  now,  cause  pa's  in  a  hurry. 
An  warn't  it  too  bad  that  we  forgot  all 
about  that  trunk  yesterday." 

William  departed  while  his  father  went 
up-stairs  to  change  his  suit,  but  in  a  very 
short  time  William  returned  and  informed 
Araminta  that  the  man  who  owned  the 
furniture  team  could  not  be  found. 

"  Naow,  ain't  that  jest  too  bad,"  said 


GOOD-BYE  267 

Mint,  "  how  are  we  goin'  to  git  that  trunk 
to  the  depot."  As  she  said  the  words  a 
butcher  boy  stopped  his  team  at  Mrs.  Mc- 
Peak's  door,  and  another  idea  flashed  into 
Mint's  mind. 

She  ran  out  and  asked  him  if  he  couldn't 
take  the  trunk  in  his  butcher  team,  but 
the  boy  declared  he  had  lots  of  orders  to 
deliver  and  could  not. 

;'  Well,  ding  me,"  said  par  coming  into 
the  room,  "  but  this  here  place  ain't  much 
for  accommodation.  In  Little  Acres  any 
one  would  give  yer  a  lift  without  askin'." 

"  I'd  pay  a  half  a  dollar  to  git  that  trunk 
to  the  depot.  Seems  too  blamed  mean 
that  we  can't." 

;'  We'll  git  it  there  if  I  have  to  buy  a 
wheel-barrow  an'  have  William  wheel  it  for 
yer,"  said  Mint,  "  but  wait,  I've  jest  had  a 
insperration.  I'll  git  a  team.  P'r'aps  I 
could  borrer  one  from  Mrs.  Kelley's  son; 
he  has  loads  of  horses  an'  carts  in  his  busi 
ness." 

;'  What  is  his  business?  "  asked  par. 

"  His  mar  told  me  once  that  the  city 


268  MINT  JULEP 

made  holes  for  Danel  to  fill."  So  saying 
Mint  threw  her  apron  over  her  head  and 
flew  out  of  the  house  and  down  the  street 
to  Mayflower  Cottage.  She  hurried 
around  to  the  back  door  and  after  knock 
ing  walked  in  to  find  Mrs.  Kelly  standing 
at  the  sink  washing  the  breakfast  dishes. 

"  Good  mornin'  to  you,  Mrs.  Julep,  sit 
right  down,"  said  Mrs.  Kelly,  her  face 
wreathed  in  smiles. 

"  I  can't  set  down,  Mis  Kelly,  I'm  in  a 
dreadful  hurry,  an'  I've  come  to  ask  you 
to  do  me  a  great  favor." 

"  Indeed  I'll  do  anything  I  can  for  yer," 
said  Mrs.  Kelly,  wiping  her  hands. 

"  It's  jest  like  this,  Mis  Kelly,  you 
know  William's  folks  are  goin'  to-day, 
an'  they  have  a  trunk  an*  we  never  thot 
of  that  trunk  till  the  last  minute,  an' 
par  wants  orfully  to  take  it  along  on  the 
same  train  with  him.  He's  got  a  big  car 
pet  bag  too,  an'  tenny  rate  I  thot  seein'  as 
your  son  had  a  lot  o'  dump  carts  and  bosses 
you  might  let  us  have  the  use  of  one  for 


GOOD-BYE  269 

a  couple  of  hours.  I  don't  believe  it  will 
even  take  that  long." 

"  Well  now,  Mrs.  Julep,  if  my  Danny 
was  here,  it's  himself  would  take  the  trunk 
for  yer,  but  he's  away  at  his  work,  tho' 
I  do  think  there's  a  cart  out  back.  We'll 
go  out  an'  see.  An'  the  hoss  yer  welcome 
to  along  with  the  cart,  only  he's  rale  blind 
an'  he's  kinder  balky  at  times.  Come  on 
an'  see  Maudie." 

"  Maudie  "  was  the  superannuated  beast 
that  Mint  was  taken  out  to  view  in  the  big 
barn,  at  the  rear  of  the  house. 

"  That'll  be  jest  the  thing,  Mis  Kelly. 
Oh!  I'm  ever  so  much  obliged,  an'  par 
Julep  will  be  delighted." 

:<  Well,  indeed,  he's  welcome  to  them  an* 
twenty  more  if  I  had  them,  an'  a  fine  old 
gentleman  he  is  and  the  old  lady  too  an'  it's 
sorry  I  am  that  they  are  goin'  to  lave  us. 
Can  yer  back  up  a  hoss,  Mis  Julep?" 

"  Yes,  indeed,  I  can.  Wish  I  had  a  dol 
lar  for  ev'ry  hoss  I've  driv  from  Farnham 
to  Farnham  Corner." 


270  MINT  JULEP 

'  Whist  now,  come  Maudie,  there's  a 
good  girl,  come,  now  back  up."  So  say 
ing  Mrs.  Kelly  backed  Maudie  out  of  her 
stall,  and  the  two  women,  with  no  little 
difficulty,  finally  succeeded  in  getting  the 
harness  on,  and  hitching  her  to  the  dump- 
cart.  Mrs.  Kelly  perspired  freely  over 
her  part  of  the  task  and  frequently  wiped 
her  face  with  her  gingham  apron.  It  was 
no  easy  matter  harnessing  "  Maudie,"  and 
once  the  good  lady  lost  her  temper  com 
pletely,  and  cried  lustily,  "  back  up  yer 
ould  divil  yer,  back  up,  or  I'll  break  the 
ligs  o'  yer." 

"  She's  some  contrary,  ain't  she,"  said 
Mint,  "  but  then  bosses  alms  are  when  yer 
want  'em  in  a  hurry." 

Then  Mint  Julep  took  the  reins  and 
climbed  up  into  the  dump-cart  seating  her 
self  on  the  swinging  leather  seat  attached 
to  two  chains  from  the  sides  of  the  cart, 
and  started. 

"  Yer  look  as  natrul  up  there  as  Danny 
himself.  Good  luck  to  yer,"  shouted  Mrs. 
Kelly,  waving  her  hand. 


'Good  luck  to  yer"  shouted  Mrs.  Kelley 


Paie  270 


GOOD-BYE  271 

"  Git  up  now  Maudie,  git  up,"  said 
Mint,  giving  the  horse  a  slap  with  the 
reins.  "  Maudie  "  seemed  to  be  in  good 
spirits;  she  started  ahead  at  a  brisk  jog 
that  almost  upset  Mint  off  the  leather 
seat,  and  caused  a  boy  who  had  followed 
the  cart  to  shout  in  derision.  It  was  a 
very  short  ride,  and  the  distance  was  soon 
covered.  Mint  rode  up  in  triumph  to 
Thanatopsis  and  stopped  at  the  gate. 
She  opened  the  door  of  her  cottage  to 
find  the  whole  family  in  the  sitting  room 
around  Tom  Julep.  "  Mar  "  was  on  her 
knees  trying  to  pull  down  the  plaid  trous 
ers,  but  it  was  no  use ;  par's  red  socks  were 
plainly  visible. 

"  Let  'em  go,  ding  me,  if  I  care,"  said 
par,  "  they  ain't  time  to  change  my  pants 
now,  and  besides  ev'ry  ding  thing  is  locked 
up  in  the  trunk." 

"  Mint,  I  hev  alms  said  you  was  a 
genus.  You've  got  a  turn  out  fer  us, 
ain't  yer.  Come  on,  now  William,  give 
us  a  lift  with  this  trunk  an'  we'll  git  this 
trunk  out." 


272  MINT  JULEP 

Suiting  the  action  to  the  word  Tom 
Julep  and  his  son  carried  the  trunk  be 
tween  them  and  put  it  in  the  cart.  When 
this  was  done  Tom  stood  off  rubbing  his 
hip  pocket,  and  looked  at  "  Maudie." 

"Well,  I'll  be  dinged,  that  ain't  jest 
exactly  wot  ye'd  call  a  choice  piece  o'  hoss- 
flesh,  hay,  William?" 

"  May  be  a  better  goer  than  a  looker," 
said  William. 

"  She's  real  blind,  an'  yer  better  not  take 
chances,"  said  Mint,  "  William  can  lead 
her  when  we  git  where  it  ain't  easy 
goin'." 

"  Pshaw!  yer  don't  hev  ter  do  that,"  said 
Pa. 

"  Well,  I'd  feel  lots  better,  if  yer  did," 
said  Mint. 

At  this  point  all  the  children  were  beg 
ging  for  a  ride,  till  at  last  Mint  had  an 
other  "  insperration." 

"  Par  you  drive.  William  can  lead 
'  Maudie/  Mar  an'  me  can  set  on  the 
trunk  an'  the  childern  pile  all  round." 

"  Well  git  in  lively,"  said  Tom,  look- 


GOOD-BYE  273 

ing  at  his  watch.  "  There  now  are  ye  all 
ready,  mother?  Git  up,  Maudie, 
G'long." 

It  was  a  funny  sight,  and  as  the  cart 
jogged  along  loud  was  the  laughter  that 
greeted  them  on  all  sides.  Tom  Julep, 
his  tall  form  dressed  in  the  gaudy  plaid 
suit,  stood  up  leaning  forward  a  little 
every  now  and  then  giving  the  horse  a  slap 
with  the  reins. 

"  Mar  "  Julep's  face  was  lost  to  view 
under  the  immense  hat  she  wore  as  she 
sat  on  the  trunk.  There  were  many  con 
jectures  among  the  people  who  saw  them 
as  to  the  whereabouts  of  the  little  party 
in  the  tip-cart.  Indeed  John  Gilpin's 
famous  ride  of  old  never  occasioned  more 
remark. 

But  "  Maudie  "  began  to  lose  the  good 
spirits  which  had  sent  her  along  so  well  at 
first.  Her  steps  began  to  lag  perceptibly, 
and  all  at  once  to  Tom  Julep's  indigna 
tion  she  stood  perfectly  still  on  the  road 
and  refused  to  budge  an  inch.  In  vain 
did  Tom  and  William  apply  all  the  arts 


274  MINT  JULEP 

known  to  the  trade  to  make  Maudie  "  git 
up."  The  party  got  out  and  the  children 
played  tag  while  Tom  gave  vent  to  his 
wrath,  alternately  looking  at  his  watch  and 
trying  to  move  Maudie.  At  last  a  car 
riage  came  along  and  its  occupant,  a 
young  man  with  a  pair  of  keen  dark  eyes, 
stopped  and  examined  the  stubborn  beast. 

;'  That  horse  wants  a  good  feed  of  oats. 
Guess  she'll  go  all  right  then." 

"  She  ain't  my  hoss,  Mister,"  said  Tom. 
"  I've  got  to  git  a  train.  Naow,  what  in 
tarnation  am  I  goin'  to  do?  " 

"  Get  in  all  of  you,"  said  the  man. 

Once  again  the  little  party  piled  into 
the  tip-cart,  and  lo,  the  stranger  had  looked 
at  Maudie's  front  hoof  and  the  trick  was 
done  before  their  very  eyes.  "  Maudie  " 
jogged  along  and  never  stopped  until 
they  reached  their  destination.  What  a 
send-off  that  was.  What  shaking  of 
hands  and  good  wishes  and  promises  of 
future  visits. 

"  Good-bye,  William,"  said  Tom  Julep. 
"  I  s'pose  you'll  be  startin'  off  yourself 


GOOD-BYE  275 

pretty  soon,  when  do  you  calkelate  to  go 
to  Canady?" 

"  To-morrer,"  said  William. 

"  The  idea,"  said  Mint,  "  why  didn't  yer 
mention  it.  I  thot  sure  ye'd  be  d'home 
another  week  or  so  anyway." 

"  Well  why  didn't  you  tell  us,  William," 
said  his  father,  with  a  dry  smile,  "so  as 
Mint  could  git  up  another  party  for  ye." 

"  I  only  got  word  from  Mr.  Ogden  this 
morning,"  returned  William. 

"  Well,  I  should  be  orf ul  pleased,  son, 
an'  mother  would  to  git  a  line  from  yer  up 
thar  in  Canady." 

"  An'  I  promise  you  shall  git  a  line  from 
him,"  said  Mint,  "  an*  now  best  git  on, 
that's  a  whistle." 

When  the  little  party  had  shouted  itself 
hoarse,  and  every  hand  had  waved  the 
train  out  of  sight,  Mint  Julep  and  the 
children  got  into  the  cart  again  and  Wil 
liam  drove  them  home. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII 

MOLLY  AND   BESS  RUN   THE   HOUSE 

THE   morning  that  William  Julep 
said  farewell  to  Araminta,  on  his 
trip  to  Canada,  had  been  hot  and 
sultry.     There  was  not  a  hint  of  breeze  in 
the  torrid  air  and  Wintop  fairly  sizzled 
in  the  heat. 

Mint  Julep  was  taking  a  batch  of  bread 
out  of  the  oven  when  a  breath  of  cool  air 
from  the  window  told  her  that  there  had 
been  a  change.  An  east  wind  as  sudden 
and  refreshing  as  an  ocean  wave  on  a  sun 
burned  rock  swept  over  the  little  town. 

She  took  out  the  browned  loaves  from 
the  pans,  and  stood  them  on  the  kitchen 
table.  Then  she  hurried  to  the  door  and 
looked  at  the  children  playing  in  the  back 
yard. 

She  wondered  if  the   sudden   change 
276 


MOLLY  AND  BESS        277 

would  affect  Bud  Tobey  who  had  a  slight 
cold.  She  called  the  child  and  asked  her 
if  she  needed  her  little  coat.  Bud  de 
clared  she  was  "  nice  and  warm "  and 
Mint  stood  there  for  a  moment  talking 
about  the  change  in  the  weather. 

From  the  open  windows  of  the  sitting 
room  could  be  heard  the  sweet,  childish 
treble  of  Bess  Tobey  singing  "  Rock  of 
Ages  "  as  she  busied  herself  putting  the 
room  in  order. 

For  a  moment  the  picture  of  the  girl's 
mother,  as  she  lay  peaceful  and  calm  in 
death  flashed  into  Mint's  mind,  and  all 
that  had  transpired  in  that  very  room, 
where  the  child  was  now  singing  happily. 
"  Poor,  motherless  Bess,"  said  Mint. 
"  Yet  she  is  happy,"  and  the  thought  came 
to  her  what  a  blessed  thing  it  was  that  Bess 
was  happy. 

Her  thoughts  were  suddenly  inter 
rupted  by  the  postman,  who  had  just 
come  from  McPeak's.  He  stepped  to  the 
fence  and  held  up  a  letter  for  her. 
"  Thank  you,"  said  Mint,  "  I  wasn't  jest 


278  MINT  JULEP 

expectin'  one,  post-marked  '  Farnham.' 
Well,  I  never.  Who  ever  has  been  writin' 
me  a  letter  from  Farnham." 

Clasping  the  missive  tightly  in  her  hand 
Mint  entered  the  kitchen,  where  she  hastily 
tore  open  the  envelope  and  read  the  con 
tents. 

"  Well,  I  never,"  she  exclaimed,  again 
and  again. 

"  Sech  a  surprise.  Bess,  Bess,  come  here 
a  minute,  till  I  tell  you  the  news. 

"  Jest  read  that,"  said  Mint,  thrusting 
the  letter  into  the  hand  of  Bess  Tobey  the 
moment  she  appeared  on  the  threshold. 
"  My  brother  Hiram  is  sick  an*  wants  to 
see  me  particular,  jest  read  it." 

"  I'm  real  sorry  he  is  sick,"  said  Bess, 
as  she  returned  the  letter  which  she  had 
glanced  through  hastily,  "  he  writes  that 
he  wants  you  to  go  at  once,"  she  added. 

"  Yes,  right  away,"  said  Mint,  "  an'  that 
is  exactly  like  Hiram  Cuckoo;  when  he 
wants  anything  he  wants  it  quick;  there 
never  was  a  man  had  so  little  patience. 
Of  course  I  know  that  it  must  be  some- 


MOLLY  AND  BESS       279 

thin'  impartant  but  I  don't  jest  see  how  I 
shall  be  able  to  git  up  an'  git  out  of  here, 
because  who  is  to  look  after  this  houseful 
of  childern  while  I  am  gone  I  should  like 
ter  know." 

;'  Why,  Mrs.  Julep,"  exclaimed  Bess, 
her  pretty  face  eager  and  smiling,  "  I  can 
look  after  them  nicely,  while  you  are  gone 
to  Farnham.  I  would  like  to  do  it." 

"  D'yer  think  yer  could,  Bess,  all 
alone?" 

"  Of  course  I  could,  why,  they  are  all 
able  to  do  for  themselves  very  nicely  with 
the  exception  of  the  twins,  and  I'm  sure 
I  could  look  out  for  them." 

"  Yes,  but  Ham  an  Egg  are  sich  imps 
of  mischief,  Bess,  it  sort  of  worries  me." 

"  Now,  Mrs.  Julep,  Ham  and  Egg  are 
perfect  little  angels  with  me.  I  can  do 
anything  with  those  children,  and  don't 
you  worry  in  the  least.  You  must  go  and 
I'll  do  everything  here.  I'm  so  glad  of  a 
chance  to  do  something  for  you." 

"  Bess,  you  are  a  good  girl  an'  I'm  awful 
glad  you're  here.  I  believe  I  will  go. 


280  MINT  JULEP 

"  I'll  git  ready  at  onct  too.  Poor  Hi 
ram.  He's  had  a  peck  o'  trouble  lately  an' 
somehow  or  other  he  allus  did  expect  me  to 
help  him  out  o'  trouble,  an'  I  should  hate  to 
disappint  him  now  by  not  goin'.  Yes,  I 
believe  I'll  go.  I  don't  spose  I'll  be  gone 
more'n  a  day  or  two  any  way." 

So  saying  Mint  hurried  out  of  the  room 
to  go  up-stairs.  She  reached  the  little 
hall  just  in  time  to  see  Molly  Burt  opening 
the  front  gate. 

"  How  do  Molly.  I'm  awful  glad  ter 
see  yer.  You  come  right  in  an'  set  down. 
Bess'll  talk  to  yer  an'  tell  yer  all  about  it. 
I'm  goin'  up-stairs  to  put  on  my  black 
dress  an'  git  ready  to  start  for  Farnham 
fast  as  I  can  go.  Hiram's  in  trouble  o' 
some  sort  an'  has  ast  me  to  come." 

"  Oh,"  said  Molly,  with  a  smile,  stepping 
into  the  entry  way  while  Mint  paused  for 
breath.  "  Isn't  that  singular.  Aunt  Lida 
has  gone  visiting  for  a  week  and  I  got 
her  consent  to  let  me  stay  with  you  until 
she  returns.  I  came  all  prepared  as  you 


MOLLY  AND  BESS        281 

see,"  she  added  laughingly,  pointing  to 
her  dress-suit  case. 

"  Well,  naow,  ain't  thet  too  bad,"  said 
Mint,  "  there  wouldn't  be  a  soul  to  git  you 
a  mite  o'  vittles  fit  ter  eat,  an'  yer  never 
could  stand  the  childern  if  I  was  away." 

"  Oh,  aren't  you  going  to  let  me  stay," 
pleaded  Molly,  "I've  never  quite  finished 
a  little  sketch  that  I  made  down  here  and 
I  want  to  ever  so  much." 

"  Let  yer  stay.  Bless  yer  heart.  I'd 
like  ter  keep  yer  forever,  but  land  o'  good 
ness,  Molly,  you  wouldn't  want  to  stay  in 
this  place  if  I  was  away,  would  yer?  Jest 
you  an'  Bess  an'  those  noisy  childern?  " 

"  Wouldn't  I,  just  try  me,  Mrs.  Julep. 
Bess  and  I  keeping  house!  Oh,  how  jolly," 
cried  Molly,  with  the  eagerness  of  a  child. 
"  It's  what  I've  always  wanted  to  do." 

'  Then  go  ahead  an'  do  it,"  returned 
Mrs.  Julep,  with  a  decided  nod.  "  I 
warned  yer,  remember  that  Molly,  those 
children  are  perfec'  imps  fer  gitten'  inter 
mischief  an'  cuttin'  up." 


282  MINT  JULEP 

'  They  are  dears,  every  one  of  them," 
declared  the  girl. 

"  May  I  have  carte  blanche  to  run  the 
house,"  cried  Molly,  just  as  Mint  reached 
the  head  of  the  stairs. 

"  There's  no  cart,  Molly.  Jimmy  has 
a  old  truck,  two  wheels,  ain't  much  good 
though." 

'  Thanks  ever  so  much,"  said  the  girl 
with  a  ripple  of  laughter  and  the  next 
minute  bounded  into  the  kitchen  and  pro 
ceeded  to  kiss  the  surprised  and  happy 
girl  who  was  sweeping  the  floor. 

"  Oh,  Bess,  isn't  it  splendid,  you  and  I 
keeping  house.  I've  always  wanted  to 
keep  house,  real,  truly  house  and  now  you 
and  I  can  do  it  just  like  two  sisters.  No, 
not  like  sisters  either.  I've  thought  of 
something  even  better.  I'll  be  the  mother, 
because  I'm  ever  and  ever  so  much  older 
than  you.  You  are  very  young  yet," 
added  Molly  with  a  patronizing  little  pat 
on  the  girl's  cheek. 

"  I'm  twelve,"  declared  Bess,  straight- 


MOLLY  AND  BESS         283 

ening  up  and  trying  to  look  dignified, 
"  that's  not  so  young." 

"  But  I  am  twenty,  think  of  that,  Bess 
Tobey.  The  audacity  of  a  girl  like  you 
talking  to  one  old  enough  to  be  your 
mother.  I  cannot  allow  it,"  declared 
Molly  with  a  pretty  assumption  of  sever- 
ity. 

"  The  idea,"  said  Bess,  and  thereupon 
the  very  walls  of  the  little  kitchen  rang 
with  the  laughter  of  the  two  girls.  Sud 
denly  Mrs.  Julep  appeared  on  the  thres 
hold,  bag  and  baggage,  all  ready  for  the 
trip  to  Farnham.  "  Now,  girls,  I'm  a 
goin'.  Take  care  of  yerselves,  and  take 
care  of  the  childern.  Don't  let  them  git 
cold.  Bud  is  apt  to  ketch  cold  easy,  she 
needs  extry  wraps  on  the  minute  east  wind 
comes  up.  Make  her  eat  an'  watch  Ham 
an'  Egg  close  when  you  go  down  ter  the 
water.  Mrs.  McPeak  will  be  glad  to  tell 
yer  anything  you  want  to  know.  I'll  jest 
run  over  there  an'  tell  her  I'm  a  goin',  an* 
don't  tell  the  childern  till  I'm  gone  nothin' 


284  MINT  JULEP 

bout  it.  I'll  give  them  a  s'prise.  Naow 
don't  work  too  hard,  girls,  an'  jest  git  all 
the  fun  outer  housekeepin'  yer  can  git." 
With  several  more  reminders  Mint  de 
parted  to  bid  a  hasty  farewell  to  Mrs. 
McPeak  and  to  ask  that  worthy  neighbor 
to  "  keep  an  eye  "  on  the  girls  till  she  re 
turned. 

Molly  and  Bess  in  the  little  kitchen  pro 
ceeded  to  begin  housekeeping  in  real 
earnest. 

"  Can  you  cook,  Molly?"  asked  Bess, 
taking  a  spring  that  landed  her  on  the 
kitchen  table,  where  she  sat  swinging  her 
feet. 

"  I  can  make  fudge,  lovely  fudge,"  said 
Molly. 

"  Oh,  I  don't  mean  candy.  Can  you 
make  biscuits  an'  things?  " 

"  Biscuits.  Oh,  I  never  did  but 
wouldn't  I  just  love  to  try  to  make  some. 
Lets  have  some  for  tea,"  cried  Molly  en 
thusiastically.  "  Hot  biscuit  for  tea,  and 
I  shall  make  them.  Er,  did  you  ever 
make  any  Bess?" 


"  Oh,  yes.  I  can  make  real  good  bis 
cuit,  and  bread  and  cake  and  lots  of 
things." 

"  Goody,  then  I'll  get  the  pan  and  you 
tell  me  the  ingredients  to  put  in  and  let  me 
make  them,  you  can  teach  me  how  to  make 
biscuit  and  things.  That  will  be  splen 
did." 

"  What,  teaching  the  mother,"  said 
Bess,  with  a  ripple  of  girlish  laughter. 

"  Bess,  we'll  forget  the  '  mother '  part 
of  it  when  ever  there  is  any  cooking  to  be 
done,  because  you  know,  little  girl,"  said 
Molly,  gravely,  "  that  I  have  never  had 
any  good  opportunities  to  learn  all  about 
it.  Here's  the  pan,  now  what  shall  I  do 
first?" 

:'  Well,  mother,"  said  Bess,  with  mock 
earnestness,  "  first  take  a  quart  of  flour." 

"A  qu — A  quart?"  repeated  Molly 
doubtfully. 

"  Yes,  a  quart,  mother  dear,  why  do  you 
hesitate  about  a  quart  of  flour." 

"  Why,  it  seems  so  funny  to  measure 
flour  by  the  quart,"  said  Molly  innocently. 


286  MINT  JULEP 

"  One  hears  of  a  quart  of  milk  or  a  quart 
of  vinegar,  but  I  always  thought  of  a 
barrel  of  flour." 

'  Well,  please  don't  for  biscuit,"  said 
Bess.  "  It  would  be  awful  to  handle  so 
much  dough  and  besides  the  biscuit  would 
be  heavy  I  know." 

"  Well  then  just  one  little  teeny,  weeny 
quart  and  here  it  is,"  said  Molly,  "  and 
what  comes  next?" 

"  Now,  sift  it,  mother." 

"  S  —  sift  it  —  sift  flour"  exclaimed 
the  girl. 

"Well,  why  not?" 

"  Why.  I  know  that  people  sift  ashes 
but  I  never,  never  knew  that  they  had  to 
sift  flour." 

"Well  they  do,  sift  that  twice,"  said 
Bess,  laconically. 

The  biscuit  making  continued  until 
Molly  had  actually  rolled  out  the  spongy 
dough  on  the  board,  shaped  the  biscuit 
with  the  cutter  and  placed  them  side  by 
side  in  the  pan. 

"  How    perfectly    lovely    they    look," 


MOLLY  AND  BESS        287 

cried  Molly,  "  and  isn't  it  easy  when  you 
know  how,"  she  added. 

"  The  oven  is  good  and  hot,"  said  Bess, 
trying  it,  "  and  that  is  proper  because  they 
must  raise  right  up  in  the  oven  to  be  light 
and  flaky." 

When  the  biscuit  were  safely  in  the  oven 
the  two  girls  their  arms  around  each  other 
went  out  to  watch  the  children  at  play. 

"Be  sure  and  look  at  your  watch, 
Molly,  very  often,  because  they  ought  to 
be  done  in  twelve  minutes,"  observed  Bess. 

"  I'm  so  glad  you  mentioned  it,  Bess, 
I'll  look  at  the  time  every  other  second." 

At  this  point  Bud  and  Mamie,  Jimmie, 
Tommy  and  the  twins,  surrounded  the 
two  girls  and  a  jolly  game  of  "  tag " 
was  soon  in  progress.  Afterward  they 
played  the  merry  game  of  hide  and  go 
seek  until  Bess  ran  in  breathlessly  to  look 
at  the  biscuit  in  the  oven.  The  new  cook, 
as  it  often  happens  with  amateurs,  had 
quite  forgotten  about  them. 

"  Done  to  a  turn,"  exclaimed  Molly, 
while  Bess  held  up  the  pan  that  all  the 


288  MINT  JULEP 

children  might  see  what  good  things  were 
in  store  for  them.  :'  They  would  have 
been  done  to  a  burn  only  for  me,"  laughed 
Bess,  "  while  '  mother  '  played  tag." 

"  Jimmy,"  said  Molly,  laughing  joy 
ously,  "  don't  you  think  my  biscuit  are  de 
licious  ? " 

'  They  look  good,"  replied  the  lad  with 
a  grin,  "  if  yer  gimme  one  I'll  tell  yer 
better." 

"  Let's  save  them  for  tea,  and  they 
will  taste  all  the  better,"  said  Molly. 

When  Molly  Burt  awoke  the  next 
morning  she  ran  to  the  window  and  looked 
over  the  little  stretch  of  Wintop  that  lay 
before  her  eyes. 

There  was  no  sign  of  life  in  the  cot 
tages  scattered  here  and  there,  but  the 
rumbling  of  a  heavy  milk  wagon  on  the 
street  below  told  her  that  it  was  very 
early. 

In  the  distance  a  wooded  hill  loomed 
a  mass  of  blue  and  green  and  purple  out 
of  the  rising  mists  and  beyond  was  the 
sea,  stretching  away  into  illimitable  shad- 


MOLLY  AND  BESS         289 

owy  depths.  She  smiled  suddenly  as  the 
thought  came  to  her  that  as  a  child  she 
used  to  ask  if  the  "  big  sea  stayed  in  the 
same  place  all  night."  A  sudden  impulse 
seized  the  girl  to  go  out  doors  and  down 
to  the  gray  sea  before  the  little  town  was 
astir. 

She  dressed  hurriedly  and  tip-toed  out 
of  the  house  without  waking  a  soul  in  it. 
Molly's  feet  seemed  winged  as  she  flew 
over  the  road  that  led  to  the  beach.  Five 
minutes'  brisk  walking  brought  her  to  the 
water's  edge  and  she  stood  and  drank  in 
deep  draughts  of  the  delicious  air. 

"  It's  clear  and  cool  and  morning  sweet, 
it's  good  enough  to  eat,"  said  Molly,  think 
ing  aloud,  but  the  thought  had  no  sooner 
flashed  into  her  mind  than  it  was  followed 
by  a  more  practical  one,  that  of  breakfast. 

There  was  a  houseful  of  hungry  chil 
dren  at  home.  They  could  not  eat  the 
air,  however  tempting  it  might  be  to  her 
in  the  early  morning.  Molly  laughed 
softly  to  herself  and  immediately  retraced 
her  steps,  reaching  the  little  gate  of  Mint 


290  MINT  OTJLEP 

Julep's  cottage  just  as  the  front  door 
opened  and  Bess  looked  out. 

;<  Why,  where  have  you  been  at  this 
hour,  I  would  like  to  know,"  said  Bess  by 
way  of  greeting. 

"  Down  to  the  sea,  Bess,  and  I  found 
there  all  the  sweet  smelling  breezes  in  the 
world  waiting  for  me." 

"  Come  in  and  make  some  sweet  smell 
ing  coffee,  please,"  said  Bess,  "  I'm  real 
hungry." 

"  So  am  I,"  laughed  Molly.  "  Are  the 
children  still  asleep  ?  " 

"  Sound.  Let's  go  around  as  still  as 
mice,  so  as  not  to  wake  them.  The  longer 
they  sleep  the  better.  That  is  what  Mrs. 
Julep  says." 

The  two  girls  entered  the  little  kitchen 
and  were  soon  busily  engaged  in  prepar 
ing  breakfast.  They  had  hardly  com 
pleted  the  task  when  a  warhoop  from  a 
room  above  told  them  that  one  little  In 
dian  was  awake  and  on  the  warpath.  In 
a  short  time  all  the  children  were  up. 
What  a  busy  time  it  was  for  the  next  hour 


MOLLY  AND  BESS        291 

or  two.  As  Bess  said  afterwards  they 
had  to  be  washed  and  brushed  and  combed 
and  dressed.  But  it  was  all  new  and  in 
teresting  to  Molly.  She  discovered  that 
Ham  in  some  mysterious  way  had  gum 
on  his  hair.  Molly  tried  to  remove  the 
sticky  substance  in  vain  whereupon  Jim 
my  appeared  with  a  scissors  and  informed 
her  that  "  mor  always  cuts  it  out."  "  But 
it  will  take  some  of  his  hair,  too,  if  I  cut 
the  gum  away,"  said  Molly,  "  and  that 
might  spoil  his  head." 

'  Yer  can't  spoil  Ham's  head  no  wuss 
n'  it  is,"  said  Jimmie.     "  Mor  says  so." 

After  breakfast  the  children  were  sent 
out  to  play  and  Bess  and  Molly  began  in 
earnest  to  enter  into  the  joys  of  keeping 
house. 

For  joyous  it  was  indeed  to  the  two 
girls.  In  a  most  systematic  way  they 
aired  the  beds,  cleared  away  the  dishes, 
swept  and  dusted,  and  then  sat  down  to 
plan  the  dinner. 

Of  course  things  did  not  always  run 
smoothly  and  there  were  many  interrup- 


292  MINT  JULEP 

tions.  Three  or  four  lively  children  can 
turn  the  best  regulated  household  in  the 
universe  up -side  down  in  a  few  min 
utes. 

Egg  got  a  splinter  in  his  finger  and 
howled  so  dismally  after  Molly  had  deftly 
removed  it  with  a  needle  that  she  let  him 
sit  on  the  kitchen  floor  and  make  houses 
out  of  cakes  of  soap. 

Then  Ham  toddled  in  covered  with 
mud  from  forehead  to  feet.  "  I  felled 
in  a  puddle,"  he  sobbed. 

"  I  do  think  Jimmy  ought  to  mind  the 
twins  while  we  are  so  busy,"  said  Bess, 
"  I'm  going  to  tell  him  so." 

"  Say,"  said  Jimmy,  confidingly  when 
Bess  at  the  door  had  reminded  him  of 
this  duty  to  perform,  "  when  we're  orful 
good  mor  takes  us  to  Barr's  Float  for  a 
picnic;  we  bring  lunch  an'  have  lots  o' 
fun." 

"  Wouldn't  that  be  jolly,"  cried  Molly, 
coming  to  the  door,  "  that's  just  what 
we'll  do,  Jimmy,  to-morrow,  we'll  have  a 
real  nice  little  outing.  Now  you  be  a 


MOLLY  AND  BESS        293 

good  boy  and  don't  let  anything  happen 
to  the  twins  while  Bess  and  I  are  getting 
dinner." 

"  Hurrah,"  cried  Jimmy,  turning  a 
cartwheel  from  the  steps  to  the  middle 
of  the  back  yard.  "  We're  goin'  on  a  pic 
nic  to-morrow.  Hurray,  hurray." 

In  the  early  evening  of  that  first  day 
of  "  keeping  house  "  a  drizzling  rain  kept 
the  children  indoors.  When  the  supper 
dishes  had  been  cleared  away  and  Ham 
and  Egg  were  safely  in  bed  all  the  others 
gathered  together  in  the  sitting  room. 
They  played  games  and  told  riddles,  with 
Molly  the  life  of  the  little  party. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV 

ALMOST   A   TRAGEDY 

ARR'S  FLOAT,  a  collection  of 
rafts,  boats,  and  old  lumber  was  sit 
uated  on  a  little  curve  of  Wintop 
about  a  mile  beyond  the  cottage.  As  it 
lay  close  to  a  pretty  stretch  of  pine  wood 
it  was  a  favorite  place  for  family  outings. 
Thither  the  little  party  from  Thanatop- 
sis  Cottage  wended  its  way  on  the  morn 
ing  that  Molly  had  set  apart  for  the  picnic. 
The  twins  Gresham  and  Egremont 
safely  tucked  into  their  carriage  were 
wheeled  over  the  road  by  Bess  Tobey. 
The  lunch  for  the  party  had  been  stowed 
away  in  the  two  wheeled  truck  which 
Jimmy  pulled  along  proudly.  One  little 
corner  of  it  had  been  reserved  for  Bud 
to  ride  on  when  she  grew  tired. 

Room  was  also  made  in  the  twins'  car- 
294 


ALMOST  A  TRAGEDY     295 

riage  for  Tommy  and  Mamie  when  their 
little  feet  began  to  lag  perceptibly. 

The  day  was  warm  and  clear  and  the 
little  group  of  picnickers  were  bubbling 
over  with  chatter  and  good  cheer.  Ev 
erything  gave  promise  of  a  most  enjoya 
ble  trip.  After  a  short  walk  devoid  of 
incident  save  that  Egremont  had  fallen 
fast  asleep,  the  bit  of  wood  was  reached  at 
last. 

A  large  rock  served  as  a  sort  of  hiding- 
place  for  the  wraps  and  the  lunch,  while 
the  party  started  to  explore  the  wood. 

When  an  hour  had  been  spent  in  this 
happy  manner,  they  all  gathered  at  the 
rock  for  dinner. 

Molly  and  Bess  spread  a  tablecloth  on 
the  grass  and  proceeded  to  arrange  the 
feast  as  daintily  and  artistically  as  possi 
ble.  It  was  not,  strictly  speaking,  a  suc 
cess,  however  as  the  twins  thought  it  a 
novel  place  to  walk.  They  chased  each 
other  across  several  times  in  spite  of  Mol 
ly's  remonstrances  and  finally  fell  flat  on 
a  little  mound  of  jam  tarts.  Everybody 


296  MINT  JULEP 

laughed  because  everybody  was  good-na 
tured  and  happy.  The  lunch  proved  to 
be  a  veritable  "  feast  of  Lucullus  "  to  the 
hungry  picnickers.  When  it  was  over 
Bess  and  the  children  started  to  look  for 
berries  leaving  Molly  free  to  sketch  under 
a  great  oak. 

'  When  you  get  tired  of  that  pencil," 
called  Bess,  "  I  hope  you  will  follow  in 
our  path  and  I'll  show  you  where  some 
luscious  blackberries  grow." 

"Thanks,"  said  Molly,  "when  I  get 
tired  sketching  I'm  going  to  sleep. 

*  This  mossy  bank  my  couch  shall  be, 
This  knarled  old  oak  my  canopy,' ' 

added  Molly,  misquoting  the  pretty  lines. 

"  Me  is  goin'  shee  Molly  make  picshas," 
declared  Ham,  looking  back  at  the  artist. 

"  Oh,  no,  Ham,"  said  Bess,  "  we'll  have 
ever  so  much  better  fun,  come  with  me. 
We'll  find  lovely  ripe  blackberries." 

"  Me  is  goin'  shee  Molly  make  picshas," 
repeated  Ham,  stubbornly,  and  thrusting 
a  forlorn  little  thumb  into  his  mouth  Ham 


ALMOST  A  TRAGEDY     297 

stood  still  and  refused  to  move  forward 
another  step. 

"  Let  him  stay,"  laughed  Molly,  when 
Bess  all  in  vain  had  tried  to  lure  Ham 
into  the  delights  of  blackberrying. 
"  He'll  be  safe  here,"  Molly  went  on,  "  I'll 
give  him  something  to  amuse  him.  Let 
Egg  stay  too  if  he  wants  to." 

Egg  did  not  choose  to  leave  Bess  then, 
so  Ham  wandered  to  the  artist's  side  and 
was  soon  hanging  over  pencil  and  paper 
utterly  oblivious  of  everything.  Molly 
Burt  sat  with  her  back  to  the  child,  but 
in  such  a  position  that  she  could  see  his 
little  brown  legs.  And  every  now  and 
then  in  the  midst  of  her  sketching  she 
made  sure  that  those  little  brown  legs 
were  still  there  The  minutes  flew  past 
and  Molly  sketched  away.  Indeed  she 
became  so  interested  in  her  work  that  she 
never  saw  the  little  berrying  party  re 
turning  until  a  sudden  warhoop  from 
Jimmy  made  her  glance  in  that  direction. 
At  the  same  time  she  saw  that  the  little 
brown  legs  were  still  in  evidence. 


298  MINT  JULEP 

"  If  you  had  stayed  away  just  five  min 
utes  longer  I  would  have  finished  my 
sketch,"  laughed  Molly,  as  they  sur 
rounded  her. 

"  Oh,  isn't  it  pretty,"  exclaimed  Bess, 
looking  over  the  artist's  shoulder,  "  and 
here  is  Egg  behind  you  fast  asleep. 
Where's  Ham? " 

Molly  jumped  to  her  feet.  "  Ham," 
she  cried,  looking  down  on  the  sleeping 
child  in  a  puzzled  way,  "  Why  I  thought 
Ham  was  there  asleep.  How  did  Egg 
get  here? " 

"  Why  he  changed  his  mind  about  com 
ing  with  us,"  said  Bess,  "  and  he  ran  back 
to  you.  I  saw  him  myself  reach  Ham's 
side  and  sit  beside  him." 

"  But  where  is  Ham? "  cried  Molly, 
looking  around  helplessly.  "  I  never  saw 
Egg  till  this  moment.  Where  is  Ham? 
How  could  he  have  gone  from  under  my 
very  eyes? " 

A  sudden  fear  clutched  Molly's  heart 
strings.  "  Jimmy  look  around  the  woods 
and  see  if  he's  lost  his  way.  Bess,  you 


mind  Egg  and  the  others,  while  I  run  to 
the  float." 

Molly's  pulses  quickened  and  a  name 
less  fear  possessed  her  as  she  ran  breath 
lessly  toward  the  old  float.  In  and  out 
among  the  lumber  and  boats  hastened  the 
frightened  girl  but  not  a  trace  of  the 
child  could  be  seen.  "  Suppose  he  had 
climbed  onto  the  float  and  fallen  into 
the  water,"  thought  Molly.  Oh,  it  was 
too  horrible. 

With  wildly  beating  heart  she  ran  up 
the  steps  and  reached  the  very  end  of  the 
float. 

Shading  her  eyes  with  her  hand  Molly 
scanned  the  broad  expanse  of  shadowy 
water  but  not  a  speck  disturbed  its  placid 
surface.  She  looked  back  toward  the 
land  and  swept  anxious  eyes  over  the  old 
rafts,  hoping  for  a  glimpse  of  some  hu 
man  being  that  might  have  seen  the  child 
but  the  place  was  strangely  deserted  for 
that  time  of  the  day  and  not  a  soul  was 
in  sight.  She  could  have  cried  out  in  her 
helplessness.  Molly  looked  again  over 


300  MINT  JULEP 

the  sea.  A  stiff  wind  had  come  up  sud 
denly  and  stirred  the  placid  water  into 
little  choppy  waves.  She  ran  back  to  the 
land.  Perhaps  Jimmy  had  found  the 
child  in  the  woods.  It  was  more  than 
probable  that  Ham  had  attempted  to  fol 
low  the  berry-pickers.  A  sudden  hope 
filled  her  heart  and  she  ran  swiftly 
over  the  float  and  in  a  short  time  gained 
the  edge  of  the  wood.  But  Bess  with 
streaming  eyes  met  her  and  told  her  that 
Jimmy  could  not  find  a  trace  of  Ham  in 
the  wood  and  had  gone  over  the  road  to 
look  for  him.  Molly  turned  like  a  flash 
and  retraced  her  steps  over  the  rafts  and 
onto  the  float.  The  water!  The  water! 
That  must  have  been  the  magnet  that  had 
drawn  the  little  brown  legs  from  her  side. 
Once  again  Molly's  anxious  eyes  looked 
over  every  inch  of  that  pitiless  deep.  All 
at  once,  far  below  the  float,  drifting  be 
tween  the  mainland  and  a  strip  of  barren 
island  she  discerned  a  boat.  At  first 
glance  there  was  no  sign  of  life  in  it,  but 
after  awhile  Molly  thought  she  saw  some- 


Her  whole  soul  \VHN  bent  on  reaching  that  drifting  l>».-ii 


Pa*e  801 


ALMOST  A  TRAGEDY     301 

thing  white  stir  in  the  wind.  The  girl 
felt  rather  than  saw  that  something  was 
in  that  drifting  boat.  Unconsciously  she 
clasped  her  hands  together  and  prayed  to 
heaven  to  guide  her  to  it. 

With  a  heart  beating  like  a  trip-ham 
mer  she  ran  back  a  little  way,  then  jumped 
lightly  from  the  float  and  waded  to  the 
nearest  raft,  untied  the  row-boat  attached 
to  it  and  put  off  as  fast  as  willing  hands 
could  ply  an  oar.  The  tide  was  coming 
in  and  she  made  fair  progress.  A  fisher 
man  suddenly  appeared  on  the  raft  and 
called  to  her  but  Molly  never  saw  him. 
Her  whole  soul  was  bent  on  reaching  that 
drifting  boat  and  every  stroke  of  her 
strong  young  arms  brought  her  a  stretch 
nearer.  How  she  thanked  Heaven  that 
she  could  row  so  well  and  was  perfectly  at 
ease  in  that  small  row-boat.  She  had  de 
spised  the  fashionable  boarding-schools  to 
which  Aunt  Lida  had  condemned  her  all 
her  school  life,  and  yet  it  was  to  one  of 
these  very  schools  that  she  owed  her  pro 
ficiency  in  handling  the  oars.  Stately 


302  MINT  JULEP 

Southbridge  Hall  with  its  countless,  shin 
ing  windows  and  ivy-covered  walls,  its 
wide  lawns  and  spacious  dormitories,  but 
best  of  all  "  Laughing  Water  "  the  blue 
lake  nestling  in  its  woods,  that  to  Molly 
always  seemed  a  thing  apart  from  the 
gloomy  school.  What  happy  hours  she 
had  spent  on  its  rippling  surface  and  had 
learned  there  to  row,  to  skate,  to  swim, 
and  to  handle  a  boat. 

Molly  glanced  over  her  shoulder  now 
and  then  to  see  how  near  was  the  quarry. 
The  drifting  boat  had  now  taken  a  side 
course.  Oh,  if  she  could  only  look  down 
into  it.  Suppose  after  all  that  the  boat 
were  empty.  Suppose  the  child  had 
climbed  into  a  boat  from  one  of  the  rafts 
and  in  some  way  it  had  drifted  off.  Per 
haps  he  had  fallen  from  that  very  boat 
into  the  cruel  pitiless  water.  Perhaps 
even  now  his  little  body  was  floating  out 
to  sea.  The  thought  blanched  her  face 
to  an  ashen  hue  and  made  her  heart  sick 
with  fear.  Her  friend  had  trusted  her 
with  those  children  and  she  had  betrayed 


ALMOST  A  TRAGEDY     303 

that  trust.  How  could  she  ever  look  in 
Mrs.  Julep's  honest,  generous,  mother's 
face  and  tell  her  that  she  had  allowed  her 
baby  to  wander  to  the  water  and  drown. 

Molly's  lips  trembled  and  the  hot  tears 
blinded  her  as  she  bent  over  the  oars.  She 
was  so  near  now  that  she  half  rose  in  her 
seat  and  tried  to  look  down  into  the  boat, 
only  to  bend  again  to  her  work  with  re 
doubled  energy. 

One,  two,  three  good  stretches  went  the 
rowboat  and  then  Molly  looked  up 
quickly  to  see  something  white  stir  in  the 
drifting  boat.  For  a  moment  the  sight 
almost  held  her  spellbound.  Then  she 
saw  a  little  head,  crowned  with  a  mass  of 
yellow  hair.  It  was  Ham.  The  lost 
child  was  in  that  boat  alive.  Apparently 
unhurt. 

For  one  brief  moment  Molly's  heart 
bounded  with  joy  at  the  sight,  then  a  new 
danger  confronted  her.  He  might  even 
yet  fall  out  of  the  drifting  boat  before 
she  could  reach  him.  And  now  he  was 
rubbing  his  eyes;  as  if  he  had  just  wa- 


304  MINT  JULEP 

kened  from  a  sound  sleep.  Molly  prayed 
that  his  baby  eyes  might  not  see  her  — 
yet.  But  alas,  Ham  was  now  wide  awake. 
He  attempted  to  stand,  only  to  fall  flat 
in  the  moving  boat.  He  pulled  himself 
up  by  one  of  the  seats  and  held  on  un 
steadily,  while  the  boat  rocked  so  badly 
that  every  minute  the  girl  expected  to  see 
it  turn  over.  A  few  more  yards  and  she 
could  reach  the  side  of  the  boat  when  the 
child  saw  her.  With  a  glad  cry  he  raised 
his  little  arms  and  leaned  toward  her, 
while  the  boat  seemed  to  stand  on  its  side. 
The  heart  of  the  girl  in  the  rowboat  al 
most  ceased  to  beat.  Then,  like  a  flash, 
something  swift  came  between  her  and  the 
child.  It  was  large  and  had  white  sails 
and  Molly  realized  in  a  dazed  way  that 
there  was  a  man  on  it  reaching  far  out. 
She  felt  an  oar  slip  away  from  her  hand. 
Then  all  grew  dark. 


CHAPTER  XXXV 

LOVERS   REUNITED 

WHEN    Molly   opened   her   eyes 
again  she  found  herself  sitting 
very  comfortably  in  a  little  sloop 
that  seemed  to  be  cutting  its  way  through 
the  water  at  a  tremendous  rate  of  speed. 
A  man  was  standing  opposite  holding 
Ham  in  his  arms.     There  was  something 
familiar  about  the  breadth  of  the  man's 
shoulders  and  the  way  his  head  was  set  on 
them  but  Molly  could  not  see  his  face. 
She  gazed  at  the  child  now  happy  and 
contented  while  the  man  called  his  childish 
attention  to  the  "  big  waves." 

Ham  was  alive  and  well.  Suddenly  all 
the  pent  up  misery  and  uncertainty  of 
those  terrible  moments  when  she  thought 
he  had  been  swept  into  the  water  found 
vent  in  a  burst  of  passionate  weeping. 
305 


306  MINT  JULEP. 

Molly  covered  her  face  with  her  hand 
kerchief  and  cried  pitifully.  The  man 
never  turned.  Apparently  he  was  uncon 
scious  of  her  presence  there  and  Molly 
felt  very  grateful  to  him  that  this  was 
so.  But  the  little  sloop  was  even  now 
trying  to  make  a  landing  at  the  float. 
Molly  ashamed  of  her  display  of  emotion 
tried  to  dry  the  tears  that  almost  blinded 
her.  She  saw  a  little  knot  of  people  on 
the  shore.  They  were  shouting  and  wav 
ing  handkerchiefs  and  then  the  man  still 
holding  the  child  in  his  arms  turned  to 
help  her  onto  the  raft.  It  was  not  until 
that  moment  that  Molly  knew  that  her  de 
liverer  was  Jeremiah  Storey. 

'  Take  my  arm,  Molly,"  he  said  in  an 
undertone,  as  she  stepped  weak  and 
trembling  on  the  raft.  The  girl  heard 
him  and  obeyed.  The  group  of  people 
wrho  had  witnessed  the  rescue  pressed  for 
ward,  but  Mr.  Storey  ignoring  all  ques 
tions  found  his  way  through  the  crowd 
to  Bess  and  the  children  on  the  side  of  the 
road  waiting  patiently. 


LOVERS  REUNITED      307 

In  an  incredibly  short  time,  thanks  to 
Mr.  Storey,  the  little  party  still  saddened 
and  subdued  was  on  its  way  homeward. 
Ham  insisted  on  having  his  former  po 
sition  in  the  young  man's  arms,  and  car 
ried  his  point  triumphantly.  Egg  and 
Tommy  were  put  in  the  carriage.  Bud 
and  Mamie  rode  in  the  two  wheeled  truck. 
No  one  spoke.  Mr.  Storey  tried  in  vain 
to  draw  Jimmie  and  Bess  into  conversa 
tion  with  him. 

The  shadow  of  what  might  have  hap 
pened  still  hovered  over  these  two  chil 
dren  who  were  quite  old  enough  to  com 
prehend  its  awful  significance.  At  last 
the  little  cottage  was  reached,  and  a  look 
of  relief  passed  over  the  faces  of  all.  It 
was  changed  to  one  of  surprise  however 
when  the  door  opened  and  Mint  Julep  ap 
peared  on  the  threshold,  extending  both 
arms  in  welcome.  '  Yes,  I'm  back.  Saw 
yer  coming,"  said  Mint.  "  How  do  Mr. 
Storey,  come  right  in.  I'm  reel  pleased 
to  see  yer,  found  the  door  locked,  but 
there's  more  'n  one  way  to  git  into  a 


308  MINT  JULEP 

house.  Mis  McPeak  told  me  all  about 
the  picnic.  I'm  reel  glad  you've  had  a 
good  time.  What's  the  matter  with " 
Mint  stopped  suddenly  and  looked  from 
one  to  another. 

"Mrs.  Julep,"  said  Molly,  bravely, 
though  the  tears  were  still  very  near  her 
eyes,  "  I  did  a  dreadful  thing  to-day. 
You  will  never  trust  me  again  with  the 
children,  I  know.  Through  my  careless 
ness  Ham  might  have  been  — " 

"  Look  here,"  interrupted  Mint,  "  one 
an'  all  of  yer,  there's  Ham  an'  Egg,  an' 
Jimmy  an'  Tommy,  an'  Mamie  an'  Bud 
an'  Bess,  all  present  an'  accounted  for.  I 
sha'n't  hear  one  word  of  what  might  have 
happened.  Don't  want  to  hear  it  now  nor 
never.  I  sha'n't  listen  to  it  an'  I  shall  be 
dreadful  put  out  if  any  one  mentions  it 
again.  I'm  glad  to  git  back,  happy  to  see 
you  all  an'  that's  an  end  of  it.  Git  into 
the  house,  ev'ry  last  one  o'  you  childern, 
I've  got  supper  all  ready.  Won't  you 
step  in  a  minute,  Mr.  Storey,  and  have 


LOVERS  REUNITED      309 

a  cup  of  tea  with  us?  "  asked  Mint,  as  the 
children  bounded  past  her  into  the  house. 

'  Thank  you,  Mrs.  Julep,  not  to-night, 
there's  a  friend  in  his  sloop  at  Barr's 
Float  waiting  supper  for  me." 

'  Well,  I  declare,  they're  at  it  already," 
said  Mint,  as  a  series  of  lusty  yells  issued 
from  the  rear  of  the  house.  "  I  bet  those 
twins  are  tired  to  death,  so  I  must  run  in. 
Good-bye,  Mr.  Storey,  if  yer  can't  jine 
us." 

When  the  woman  had  gone  Molly,  filled 
with  conflicting  emotions  held  out  her 
hand  to  the  young  man.  "  I  can  never, 
never  tell  you  how  much  I  thank  you  for 
all  you  have  done  to-day." 

"  Don't  try,"  he  answered,  with  a  smile 
that  seemed  to  light  up  his  whole  coun 
tenance. 

The  girl  half  turned  to  go  but  he 
caught  her  hand  and  held  it  in  both  of  his. 

"  Molly,"  he  said,  in  a  voice  that  sent 
the  warm  color  to  her  cheeks,  "  you  are 
the  bravest  girl  in  the  world.  You  would 


310  MINT  JULEP 

have  caught  the  little  fellow,  I  am  sure; 
we  happened  along  and  reached  him  a 
little  sooner,  that  was  all." 

"  How  did  you  know? "  asked  the  girl. 

"  Davis  saw  the  thing  first,  through  the 
glasses.  We  were  away  over  by  the  point 
and  headed  for  you  at  once,  wind  and  tide 
did  the  rest." 

"  I  think  the  big  sloop  coming  up  so 
suddenly  frightened  me  a  little,"  faltered 
Molly. 

"  It  was  a  terrible  ordeal  for  you,  dear. 
You  need  rest  and  I  must  not  keep  you. 
I  am  going  now,  Molly,  but  I  want  to 
see  you  very  soon,  may  I  come? " 

"  I  shall  be  here  till  the  end  of  the 
week,"  said  the  girl,  strangely  happy. 

"  Then  let  it  be  to-morrow,"  he  pleaded. 

"  To-morrow,  then,"  replied  the  girl, 
while  the  color  in  her  cheeks  came  and 
went  with  every  throb  of  her  heart. 

Raising  her  hand  still  imprisoned  in 
both  his  own  to  his  lips  the  man  kissed  it 
reverently. 

"  Good-bye,   Molly,   until  to-morrow." 


LOVERS  REUNITED       311 

"  Good-bye,"  said  the  girl  bravely. 

Suddenly  a  flash  of  humor  appeared  in 
her  eyes. 

"  Parting  is  such  sweet  sorrow,"  she 
added  archly. 

"If  you  say  that  Molly,  I  cannot  go 
at  all." 

"  Oh,  but  you  must.  You  forget  the 
friend  in  the  sloop  waiting  for  you." 

"  I  remember  only  that  I  love  you,  dear, 
that  I  have  always  loved  you,  but  you  are 
tired.  I  did  not  mean  to  say  this  now." 

"  It  is  better  now,  than  to-morrow," 
flashed  the  girl  radiantly,  "  because  don't 
you  see  I  am  twenty-four  hours  happier 
already." 

They  laughed  joyously. 

"  Then  you  care  a  little,  Molly? " 

"  Oh,  very  much,  for  the  biggest  man 
on  this  little  earth.  He  must  be  the  big 
gest  because  I  can't  see  any  other,  but  I 
am  going  in  now  or  Mrs.  Julep  will  be  out 
here  to  see  what  is  keeping  me." 

She  turned  to  enter  the  house,  but  the 
man  still  lingered. 


312  MINT  JULEP 

"If  your  friend  in  the  sloop  knew  that 
I  was  keeping  his  supper  waiting,"  she 
went  on  softly,  "  he  would  probably  scold 
all  women  in  general  and  me  in  particular, 
but  I  would  not  care  if  he  did  —  to-day. 

"  I  feel  that  I  could  view  the  recording 
angel  without  fear  or  favor  and  smile  at 
him,  and  now,  I'm  going." 

She  stepped  lightly  into  the  small  hall 
but  turned  again  and  looked  back  at  her 
lover. 

He  was  at  her  side  in  a  moment.  "  Do 
you  really  love  me  Jerry?  Tell  me  all 
over  again,  but  no,  not  to-day,  your  friend 
in  the  sloop  may  be  hungry." 

"  I  love  you  more  than  anything  in  the 
wide  world,  Molly,"  and  folding  her  close 
in  his  arms  he  kissed  her. 

"  I  must  go  now,"  breathed  the  girl,  and 
releasing  herself  from  his  embrace,  she 
flew  into  Mint  Julep's  little  sitting  room, 
but  when  the  click  of  the  gate  told  her  he 
was  gone,  she  came  back  softly  and 
watched  his  retreating  figure  until  a  bend 
in  the  road  shut  him  from  her  sight. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI 

THE  TROUBLES  OF  HIRAM 

WHEN  Molly  entered  the  kitchen 
she  found  the  children  just  fin 
ishing  their  supper. 
"  Now,"   said   Mint,   a  moment  later, 
"  you've  had  a  good  supper,  an'  I  want 
ev'ry  one  of  you  to  go  out  in  the  yard 
an'  play.     Molly  it  is  time  you  had  some 
thing  to  eat.     Set  down." 

"  Oh,  thank  you,"  said  Molly,  "  I  did 
not  mean  to  keep  you  waiting  for  me. 
I'm  real  sorry." 

Molly  said  that  she  was  sorry  but  the 
radiancy  of  the  girl's  face  belied  her  re 
pentance. 

"Set  right  down,  Molly,  an'  Bess  too, 

an'  git  a  cup  of  tea ;  I  have  so  much  to  tell 

you  I  don't  know  where  to  begin.     I  saw 

Hiram  of  course  an'  jest  as  I  expected  he 

313 


314  MINT  JULEP. 

was  in  trouble,  wuss  nor  that  he  was  sick 
abed  an'  in  trouble.  It's  surprising,"  went 
on  Mint,  when  having  poured  the  tea  for 
the  two  girls,  she  too  seated  herself,  "  it 
is  surprising  how  Hiram  Cuckoo  backs 
right  up  into  trouble .  ev'ry  time  he  loses 
his  temper.  He  loses  it  ev'ry  twenty-four 
hours.  Wust  o'  it  is  he  finds  it  agin;  I 
wish  he'd  lose  it  some  time  fer  good  an' 
all  an'  never  find  it,  but  as  I  was  sayin' — 

"  Have  another  biscuit,  Molly,  thought 
you'd  like  hot  biscuit  fer  tea,  an'  I  made 
em  soon  as  I  got  home." 

"  Thank  you,"  said  Molly,  "  I  can  make 
hot  biscuit  too.  Bess  taught  me." 

"Well  ain't  that  nice,  but  as  I  was 
tellin'  you  'bout  Hiram,"  continued  Mint 
who  was  bubbling  over  with  the  news. 

"  Oh,  yes,"  interposed  Molly,  "  you  said 
he  was  sick  and  in  trouble." 

'  The  wust  kind  o'  trouble,  but  I  de 
clare  he  deserves  it.  You  see  he  was  havin' 
his  barn  shingled.  Buck  Wilson  was  doin' 
the  job,  one-eyed  Buck,  got  his  eye  put 
out  when  we  was  boys  and  gals  at  school 


HIRAM'S  TROUBLES      315 

coasting  down  on  a  double  runner  at 
Peak  Hill;  well,  he's  a  orful  smart  man 
is  Buck,  he  can  see  as  good  with  his  one 
eye  as  most  people  can  with  two,  an'  ev'iy 
body  knows  it,  but  that  great,  big  med- 
dlin',  cantankrus  brother  o'  mine,  Hiram, 
an'  wot  does  Hiram  Cuckoo  do  but  git  up 
on  the  barn  to  look  over  the  work." 

"  '  Here's  a  little  place  here,'  said  Hi 
ram,  '  that  you  left  bare,  Buck,  must  have 
missed  yer  eye.'  Now,  ev'ry  human  bein' 
in  Farnham  knows  that  Buck  is  mighty 
sensitive  about  his  eyes  an'  Buck  says, 
*  you  never  mind  about  that,  Hiram.' 
'  But  hang  it  all,'  says  Hiram,  '  it  can't  be 
left  like  that.'  '  Who's  doin'  this  job,  you 
or  me,'  says  Buck.  *  Yer  don't  call  that 
doin'  it,  that's  doin'  me,'  says  Hiram, '  Yer 
never  see  that  spot  till  I  called  yer  'tention 
to  it  jest  now.'  '  Git  off  my  work,'  says 
Buck.  '  What,'  says  Hiram,  '  you  order 
me  off  my  own  property.'  '  Git  off  my 
work,  or  I'll  throw  yer  off,'  says  Buck, 
madder'n  blazes.  Well  girls,  I  warn't 
there  but  I  know  jest  as  well  as  if  I  was 


316  MINT  JULEP 

wot  happened.  By  the  time  Buck  Wil 
son  got  them  words  outer  his  throt  Hiram 
Cuckoo  was  on  the  rampige.  He  raised 
a  leg  when  his  impedalment  got  the  best 
of  him  an'  he  warn't  in  a  good  position. 
He  was  on  the  edge  o'  that  barn  an'  he 
backed  up,  yes,  girls,  I  am  sorry  to  say 
Hiram  Cuckoo  backed  off  his  own  barn 
an'  landed  on  the  ground.  'Twarn't  high 
an'  he  didn't  break  no  bones,  but  he's  sore, 
he's  so  sore  that  he  stands  up  ter  rest. 

"  Well  now  that  ain't  all  either.  The 
wust  boy  in  Farnham  is  Billy  Wilson 
(one-eyed  Buck's  oldest  boy).  He  ain't 
sech  a  bad  boy  neither  ony  he's  terr'ble 
mischievous,  an'  allus  gittin'  inter  trubbel 
an'  doin'  tricks  on  everybody.  Well  it 
seems  this  is  Billy's  latest. 

'  The  day  before  I  went  to  Farnham 
that  young  raskill  went  over  to  Hiram's 
poltry  place  with  his  partner  in  villainy, 
Johnny  Reeves,  an'  he  says  to  Hiram  reel 
innercent  like, 

'  Hiram,'  says  he,  '  Johnny  an'  me  has 


HIRAM'S  TROUBLES      317 

jest  stumbled  right  on  to  a  discovery  that 
will  revolutionize  the  poltry  business,  an* 
make  you  a  millionaire/ 

"  '  So? '  says  Hiram, '  yer  don't  mean  it.' 
"  '  Yep,'  says  Billy,  '  it's  wonderful,  it's 
one  o'  them  simple  things  that  is  right 
under  yer  nose  all  the  time  but  no  one 
has  ever  thot  of  applyin'  it,  jest  like  elec 
tricity  an'  sewing  machines,  an'  all  that,' 
says  Billy,  '  wich  some  folks  has  made  a 
fortune  on.  Now,'  says  Billy,  '  we  know 
it  but  we  are  not  in  the  poltry  raisin'  busi 
ness,  so  it  ain't  much  good  to  us,  but  it's 
wuth  a  fortune  to  them  that  is  in  the  busi 
ness.  Now  Hiram  we  are  willin'  to  give 
the  information  to  anyone  that  makes  it 
wuth  our  while.' 

'  Don't  take  no  stock  in  you,  Billy,' 
says  my  brother  Hiram,  *  guess  I  don't 
want  it.' 

'"All  right,'  says  Billy,  'it  don't 
make  no  difference  to  us;  we  came  here 
fust  cause  it  was  nearest.  Now  we'll  go 
over  to  Sam  Blake's.  Bet  he'll  jump  at  it.' 


318  MINT  JULEP 

"  Now,  girls,  there  is  a  little  rivalry  in 
Farnham  between  Hiram  an'  Sam  an' 
folks  know  it. 

"  '  Well  what's  the  natur  of  this  thing? ' 
says  Hiram,  gittin'  intrusted. 

" '  It's  ter  hatch  out  chickens,'  says 
Billy.  '  Incubators  cost  a  lot  of  money 
but  our  scheme,  wot  we  jest  stumbled  into, 
don't  cost  a  cent,  can  be  picked  up  off  the 
street  an'  used,  so  ter  speak.' 

" '  How  much  do  you  want  for  the  in 
formation  ? '  says  Hiram,  f  allin'  right  into 
the  trap. 

"'Well,'  says  Billy,  '  seein'  it's  you, 
we'll  let  you  make  us  an  offer ;  we  haven't 
been  to  any  of  the  other  fellers  yet.' 

'But  hang  it  all,'  says  Hiram,  'how 
can  I  make  you  an  offer  when  I  don't  even 
know  wot  it  is  or  anything  about  it.' 

'  Well  now,  look  a  here,'  says  Billy, 
*  Johnny  an'  me  ain't  goin'  to  give  away 
a  secret  like  that  for  nothinV  Says  he, 
'  to-morrow  Johnny  an'  me  is  goin'  camp- 
in'  up  in  the  woods  an'  we  want  a  good 
chicken  to  broil.  Give  us  a  chicken  an' 


HIRAM'S  TROUBLES     319 

we'll  let  you  in  on  the  secret.  You  can 
pay  the  money  later  if  yer  want  ter  do  it 
thet  way.' 

"  Well  Hiram  thot  awhile  an'  long  last 
he  goes  an'  kills  one  o'  his  best  chickens 
an'  all  the  while  he  was  cleanin'  it  Billy 
was  rhapsodeezin'  over  his  discovery  an' 
there  is  no  denyin'  that  Hiram  was  terri 
bly  intrusted.  Well  at  last  he  hands  that 
chicken,  plucked  an*  cleaned,  over  to 
Billy. 

*  Now,'  says  he,  *  wot  is  it,  out  with 
it.  I'm  ready  to  hear,'  says  he,  *  what 
have  you  discovered  to  hatch  out  chick 
ens.'' 

"'Yer  won't  breathe  it?'  says  Billy, 
putting  that  fresh-killed  chicken  under  his 
coat.  '  You'll  promise,  Hiram,  that  you 
won't  tell  a  livin'  soul? ' 

'  No,'  says  Hiram,  '  you  can  trust  me ; 
if  it's  a  good  thing,  why,  I'm  willing  to 
do  the  squar  thing  by  yer.' 

'  Remember,'  says  Billy,  '  it's  one  o' 
them  simple  things  that  is  right  under  yer 
nose.' 


320  MINT  JULEP 

"  *  Yes,  yes,'  says  Hiram. 

"  '  An'  no  one  has  ever  thot  of  it  but  me, 
remember  that,'  says  Billy. 

"  '  Well,  go  ahead,  go  ahead,'  says  Hi 
ram,  gettin'  restless. 

"  '  Don't  cost  a  cent !  cheaper  than  in 
cubators  !  picked  up  in  the  street ! '  went 
on  Billy. 

'  Hang  yer,  w-w-wot  is  it  ? '  cried  Hi 
ram. 

"  '  Cats,'  says  Billy,  '  nice  warm  fur,  set 
'em  on  the  eggs  an'  let  'em  do  the  busi 
ness.' 

"  Well,  Billy  got  out  'fore  Hiram  could 
git  at  him,  but  Hiram  is  bilin'  with  rage 
an'  I  found  him  with  a  terrible  cold  on 
his  chist  an'  he  alone  in  the  house  an'  stead 
o'  nursing  that  cold  he  was  nursin'  his 
wrath.  He  told  me  he  was  goin'  to  sue 
Buck  Wilson  an'  a  lot  more.  Well,  if  I 
do  say  it  me  an'  Peggy  Barnes  was  the 
only  two  humans  that  knew  how  to  cam 
Hiram  Cuckoo  Backup.  I  coaxed  him 
inter  bed.  I  got  plasters  an'  I  fixed  him 
up  an'  when  I  had  him  where  he  couldn't 


HIRAM'S  TROUBLES       321 

move  without  hurting  hisself  I  talked 
commonsense  at  him,  an'  I  left  him  feelin' 
reel  comfortable.  Naow,  girls,  I  want  to 
do  jest  one  thing,  to-morrer,  I  want  to 
go  over  to  Chelsea  an'  tell  the  hull  story 
to  Bella  Ball;  me  an  her  was  girls  to 
gether,  you  know,  orful  romansin  girl 
was  Bella,  married  reel  well,  Henery 
Ball,  in  the  soap  greese  business. 

"  I  thot  as  how  ye'd  jest  like  ter  house 
keep  another  day." 

"  Bess  and  I  will  do  ev'rything,"  cried 
Molly. 

'  Yes,  I'm  in  luck.  I'll  go  over,  an' 
see  her  fust  thing.  I'm  jest  dyin'  ter  tell 
her  the  news  o'  Farnham.  Mary  Bassett 
has  twins  and  John  Bassett  was  so  pleased 
he's  writ  a  letter  to  President  Rooseveldt 
to  tell  him  that  one  is  goin'  ter  be  called 
Theodore  and  the  other  Theodora.  Dea 
con  Wells,  posin'  as  a  teetotaler  fer  forty 
years,  was  found  wond'rin'  near  Still 
Creek  with  a  jug  o'  hard  cider.  Abe  Bur 
ton  had  a  orful  time  to  git  him  home. 
Deacon  said  he  was  lookin'  fer  a  barrl  o' 


322  MINT  JULEP 

paint.  '  Wot  f  er,'  says  Abe,  '  ter  paint 
yer  house?'  *  Ter  paint  the  town,'  says 
the  Deacon,  cuttin'  up  an'  yellin'  for  all 
the  world  like  them  college  chaps.  Oh  it 
was  orful,  Farnham  ain't  got  over  it  yit. 
But  wust  of  all  is  the  Carys.  Oh,  I'm  jest 
dyin'  ter  tell  Bella  about  them.  Yer  see, 
girls,  them  Carys  are  a  terrible  shiftless 
family  livin'  on  the  edge  o'  the  town  from 
the  Granther  (that's  the  old  man)  down 
to  the  very  youngest  a  pair  o'  shock  headed 
twins.  There's  eleven  all  told,  an'  Mary 
Gary  is  the  oldest  child,  she's  a  big  strong 
gal  bout  thirty. 

"  Well,  it  seems  my  Aunt  Lize  was 
short  handed  an'  she  wanted  Mary  to  come 
over  an'  help  an'  Mary  did.  But  one 
afternoon,  Mary  went  home  jest  fer  a  lit 
tle  visit  an'  tho  she  promised  Ant  Liza 
she'd  be  back  that  very  night,  she  never 
showed  up  fer  three  days  when  Ant  Liza's 
steam  power,  an'  it  was  something  tre- 
mejus,  hed  most  given  out. 

'  For  goodness'  sake,'  says  Ant  Liza, 
*  where  hev  you  been  Mary?    I  hev  been 


HIRAM'S  TROUBLES     323 

waiting  three  days  fer  yer.'  Says  Mary, 
'  I  couldn't  come  no  sooner  cause  Grand- 
ther  died,  that  is/  says  she, '  we  thot  he  was 
dead.'  '  Come  in  an'  go  to  work  Mary,' 
says  Ant  Liza,  '  I  allus  knew  Grandther 
Gary  was  slow  but  I  never  thot  he'd  take 
three  days  to  die  in  hay  in'  time.' 

"  Well,  it  seems  Grandther  wasn't  dead 
at  all.  They  called  in  a  young  medicin' 
doctor  stayin'  at  the  hotel  an'  he  said  it  was 
jest  a  commondose  state;  most  oncommon 
dose  o'  sleep  it  sems  ter  me  ter  last  three 
days,  an'  tenny  rate  Mary  stayed  on  help- 
in'  till  the  end  o'  the  week,  when  she  went 
home  agin  an'  never  showed  up  at  Ant 
Liza's  fer  five  days. 

"  It  seems  the  Carys  hed  a  party  an'  cel 
ebrated  their  golden  weddin'  this  time,  tho 
folks  said  the  only  golden  thing  about  the 
hul  party  was  Hiram  Gary's  buck  tooth 
that  he  had  plugged  sideways  with  gold 
onct  an'  he  allus  wore  a  perpetshal  grin 
jest  so  folks  would  see  it  shine.  Well, 
it  seems  that  after  the  golden  weddin' 
Grandther  went  out  an'  let  a  mule  kick 


324  MINT  JULEP 

him  an'  he  really  did  die  this  time.  Guess 
that  weddin'  finished  him  an'  tenny  rate, 
Mary  came  back  to  Ant  Liza's  the 
day  after  the  funeral.  Ant  Liza  met  her 
at  the  door.  Never  a  word  said  Mary 
Gary  'bout  their  golden  weddin'  an'  all  the 
celebratin'.  She  jest  stood  at  the  door  an' 
says  she  '  I  couldn't  come  no  sooner,'  says 
she,  '  cause  yer  know  Grandther  died.' 

'  He  did ! '  says  Ant  Liza,  who  was  or- 
ful  outspoken.  '  I  thot  he  was  slow,'  says 
she,  *  but  after  all  I  guess  he  was  the  most 
commodatin'  corpse  in  the  kaounty;  come 
in  Mary  an'  git  to  work.' 

"  Then  there's  Bess  Holliday;  she's  jest 
came  home  from  a  female  college.  She 
don't  b'lieve  in  marryin'  or  buryin'  or 
nothin'.  At  fust  the  Hollidays  felt  jest 
orful  'bout  it  an'  they  went  an'  told  Mr. 
Godwin.  He's  reel  wise  an'  sensibel,  says 
he ;  '  them  symtoms  ain't  dangerous/  says 
he;  *  Bess'l  find  herself  all  in  good  time,' 
says  he;  but  Ant  Liza  says  to  me, '  Mint,' 
says  she,  in  her  outspoken  way:  *a  little 
learnin'  is  a  dangrous  thing/  says  she." 


CHAPTER  XXXVII 

MACHINE-OIL  SALAD  AND  LOVE 

O W,  good-bye,  girls,  I  shall  be 
back  real  early,"  said  Mrs. 
Julep  the  following  day,  as  she 
started  for  Chelsea  to  tell  the  latest  Farn- 
ham  news  to  Bella  Ball.  "  Look  out  for 
yerselves  an'  look  out  for  the  childern  an' 
I  think  p'r'aps  it  would  be  jest  as  well  to 
day  to  keep  'em  away  from  the  water." 

"  The  water,"  echoed  Molly  when  the 
door  was  shut  and  Mint  had  gone.  "  I 
shall  follow  Ham  and  Egg  to-day  as  if  I 
were  their  visible  guardian  angel." 

"  Oh,  that  won't  be  necessary,"  laughed 
Bess,  "  they  have  a  nice,  long  nap  every 
afternoon,  and  they  are  safe  out  of  harm's 
way  then.  Do  you  know  what  they  like 
very  much,  and  what  keeps  them  inter 
ested,"  Bess  went  on,  "  a  tent.  If  you 
325 


326  MINT  JULEP 

make  up  any  old  kind  of  a  tent  in  that 
back  yard  they  play  lovely  together." 

"  We'll  do  it,"  said  Molly.  "  I'll  take  a 
quilt  and  pin  it  across  the  lines  and  have 
the  sides  made  of  sheets." 

The  idea  worked  beautifully.  The  im 
provised  tent  was  a  "  wigwam  "  the  chil 
dren  "  live  injuns  "  and  all  sorts  of  de 
lights  were  planned  and  executed,  but 
Molly  Burt  never  let  five  minutes  pass 
the  entire  morning  without  making  sure 
that  the  twins  were  at  play  with  the  others. 
It  was  not  until  Bess  got  them  ready  for 
their  nap  after  dinner  that  Molly's  vigil 
relaxed.  Then  she  tripped  up-stairs  to 
her  room  and  looked  over  her  wardrobe. 
Some  one  very  dear  was  coming  and 
Molly  wanted  to  don  her  prettiest  gown. 
She  had  brought  just  as  few  clothes  as 
possible  for  the  short  week,  but  among 
them  was  her  sweet-brier  muslin. 

"  I'm  so  glad  I  have  it  with  me," 
thought  the  girl,  who  loved  pretty  dainty 
things. 

Molly  was  very  happy  and  she  lingered 


SALAD  AND  LOVE        327 

over  her  toilet  as  if  she  found  it  no  un 
pleasant  task.  The  soft,  brown  masses 
of  her  hair  that  had  been  severely  braided 
during  the  busy  house-keeping  hours 
were  twisted  into  a  fanciful  coil  on  the  top 
of  her  head.  The  pretty  muslin  was  put 
on  with  its  ribbons  and  ruffles  and  laces. 
Molly  smiled  at  the  radiant  girl  reflected 
in  the  little  mirror  and  went  down  stairs, 
just  as  a  click  of  the  gate  told  her  "  he  " 
was  coming,  but  Mr.  Storey  was  not 
alone.  Mrs.  Davis  and  little  Freddie 
Tobey,  the  picture  of  health  and  childish 
grace,  were  with  him. 

"We  want  you  to  come  for  a  sail, 
Molly,"  said  the  man  when  greetings  had 
been  exchanged.  "  Mr.  Davis  is  waiting 
for  us." 

'  There's  a  stiff  wind,"  observed  the 
woman,  "  it  will  be  fine,  I  think,  this  af 
ternoon,  and  Freddie  is  going  to  have  his 
first  sail,"  she  added,  beaming  down  on 
the  child. 

"  Oh,  I'm  so  sorry,  I  cannot  go  with 
you,"  said  Molly.  "  Mrs.  Julep  has  gone 


328  MINT  JULEP 

to  Chelsea  this  afternoon,  and  I  couldn't 
leave  the  children,  you  know." 

Mr.  Storey's  face  fell.  The  glory  of 
the  sail  was  gone  if  Molly  could  not  share 
it  with  him.  "  Couldn't  Bess  manage  all 
right  till  you  get  back,"  he  ventured. 

"  Oh,  I  wouldn't  want  her  to.  It  would 
be  too  much  to  leave  them  all  to  her,"  said 
Molly,  "  she  is  only  a  child  herself.  But 
never  mind  about  me,"  she  went  on,  "  you 
go  along  and  have  your  sail,  while  the 
wind  is  so  good." 

"  Perhaps  Miss  Burt  could  go  to-mor 
row,  and  if  so,  Freddie  may  have  another 
sail,"  said  Mrs.  Davis. 

"  But  to-morrow  I'll  be  in  New  York 
on  business,"  said  Jeremiah  Storey,  look 
ing  the  disappointment  he  felt. 

"  Well,  some  other  day,  then,"  laughed 
the  woman  softly.  "I'll  have  Hugh 
keep  track  of  you  and  the  weather  and 
Miss  Burt  shall  have  her  sail,  I  promise." 

"  Thank  you,"  said  Molly,  "  I  shall  look 
forward  to  it.  Now  you  ought  to  start 
before  there  is  a  change,  and  this  brisk 


SALAD  AND  LOVE        329 

sailing  wind  goes  down.  How  well  Fred 
die  looks,"  added  the  girl,  pinching  the 
child's  cheek. 

'  Yes,  he  has  been  very  well,  indeed, 
I'm  happy  to  say." 

The  woman  arose  and  Mr.  Storey  re 
luctantly  followed. 

"  I'm  coming  back  early,"  he  whis 
pered,  as  they  reached  the  door.  "  I'm 
awfully  sorry  you  are  not  coming." 

"  I'm  sorry  too,"  whispered  Molly. 

When  they  were  gone  the  girl  bounded 
into  the  kitchen.  There  was  a  little  pang 
of  disappointment  to  be  sure,  but  still  he 
was  coming  back.  She  found  Bess  shin 
ing  up  the  faucets.  "  I'm  going  to  make 
them  so  bright  that  Mrs.  Julep  can't  help 
seeing  them  the  minute  she  opens  the 
door,"  declared  Bess,  rubbing  vigorously. 
"  I'm  going  to  make  them  gold." 

"  Listen  here  a  minute,"  said  Molly, 
as  she  watched  the  frantic  gestures  of 
Bess  trying  to  make  the  old  faucets 
"gold." 

"  Yes,  I'm  listening." 


330  MINT  JULEP 

"  Bess,  do  —  er  —  men  like  to  eat 
things?" 

"Eat  things.  What  things?"  cried 
Bess,  pausing  in  sheer  astonishment. 

"  Oh,  do  they  like  biscuits,  and  things." 

"Of  course  they  do,  they  like  biscuits, 
an'  meat,  an'  cake,  an'  corned  beef,  an' 
cabbage,  an'  everything." 

"  Well,  we  could  not  have  corned  beef 
and  cabbage,  you  know,  but  couldn't  we 
have  some  nice  hot  biscuit  for  him?" 
"For  whom  ?"  asked  Bess,  in  amazement. 

"  For  Mr.  Storey.  He  said  he  was 
coming  back  early,  and  I'm  quite  sure 
he'll  be  here  to  supper,  and  don't  you  think 
we  ought  to  make  some  biscuit?" 

"  Just  hot  biscuit  and  tea  won't  be 
enough  for  him,"  said  Bess. 

"  Of  course  it  wouldn't  be  enough,"  re 
peated  Molly,  radiantly,  "  but  we'll  have 
a  green  salad,  and  quince  preserves,  Mrs. 
Julep's  preserves  are  delicious,  and  cake, 
how  does  that  suit  you  ?  " 

"  That  would  be  very  nice,"  said  Bess, 
"  there's  no  cake  in  the  house,  you  know." 


SALAD  AND  LOVE        331 

"  But  you  can  make  some,  Bess,  can't 
you?" 

"  Oh,  yes,  I  would  just  love  to." 

"  And  I'll  make  the  biscuit,  and  the 
salad,"  declared  Molly. 

"  Well  let  me  make  the  cake  first,"  said 
Bess,  putting  the  finishing  touches  to  the 
shining  faucets,  "  the  biscuit  can  be  made 
the  last  thing." 

This  arrangement  was  agreed  upon. 
Bess  put  away  the  scouring  utensils,  and 
having  washed  her  hands  started  in  to 
make  the  cake. 

'  While  you  are  doing  that  I'm  going 
out  on  the  front  porch  for  a  breath  of 
air,  before  I  put  on  my  apron,"  said 
Molly,  and  suiting  the  action  to  the  word 
she  went  out  leaving  Bess  singing  mer 
rily  over  her  task.  Molly  took  a  book  to 
read  behind  the  honey-suckle  vine  and  so 
interesting  it  was  that  twice  Bess  came  to 
the  door  to  tell  her  it  was  time  to  start 
on  the  biscuit,  but  each  time  Molly  was 
so  engrossed  in  her  story  that  the  child 
did  not  like  to  disturb  her  and  at  last  went 


332  MINT  JULEP 

back  to  the  kitchen  and  made  them  her 
self.  Molly  read  on  until  someone 
touched  her  on  the  shoulder  and  looking 
up  she  beheld  Bess  very  fresh  and  sweet 
in  a  white  dress  with  her  best  blue  ribbons 
in  her  hair. 

"Now  listen,  'mother/  and  I'll  tell 
you  all  I  have  done,  while  you  have  been 
reading.  I  have  made  the  cake  and  the 
biscuit,  the  children  have  been  washed  and 
brushed  up  and  are  waiting  for  their  sup 
per.  Now  everything  is  ready  except  the 
salad." 

"  Oh,  I'll  make  that  at  once,"  said 
Molly,  rising,  but  just  at  that  moment 
there  was  a  step.  Mr.  Storey  appeared 
at  the  little  gate,  and  Bess  hurried  away  to 
wait  on  the  children. 

"  Sit  right  down  here.  I  must  go  in 
and  make  a  salad  for  tea,"  said  Molly, 
suddenly  filled  with  the  cares  of  house 
keeping. 

"  Never  mind  the  salad,  Molly,  I  want 
to  talk  with  you,"  said  the  man,  dropping 


SALAD  AND  LOVE       333 

into  the  seat  and  drawing  the  girl  gently 
down  beside  him. 

"  But  there  is  not  a  thing  in  the  house 
unless  I  make  up  a  salad." 

"  Who  is  it  said  something  about  *  a 
crust  of  bread,  and  thou,  beside  me  in  the 
wilderness.  O  wilderness  were  Paradise.' 
I've  forgotten." 

"  I  didn't  think  you  could  forget 
Omar,"  said  the  girl,  a  queer  little  smile 
at  the  corners  of  her  mouth. 

He  was  silent  a  moment,  then  a  sud 
den  flush  of  comprehension  swept  over 
him. 

'  Why  it  was  Omar,  sure  enough,  who 
made  us  formally  acquainted." 

"  Informally  I  am  afraid  it  would  be 
called,"  laughed  the  girl. 

"Ah!  Molly,  you  thought  I  had  for 
gotten,  but  indeed  I  have  not.  I  remem 
ber  it  all  as  if  it  happened  yesterday. 
Davis  and  I  had  been  hunting  in  the 
wood  at  South  Bridge  and  were  hurrying 
to  catch  a  train  when  I  picked  up  a  pair 


334  MINT  JULEP 

of  gloves,"  "  and  a  little  book,"  added  the 
girl  softly;  "  and  a  little  book,"  he  went 
on  with  a  laugh,  "and  Davis  hurried  on  at 
a  tremendous  pace  to  get  that  train  for 
he  and  his  wife  were  dining  out  that  night, 
but  I  lingered  because  I  caught  a  glimpse 
of  the  girl,  who  lost  the  gloves." 

"  And  the  little  book,"  she  said  again, 
reminding  him. 

"  And  the  little  book  which  proved  to 
be  a  well-worn  copy  of  the  Rubiyat." 

"  And  we  met  right  at  a  giant  oak  that 
had  been  struck  by  lightning  the  year  be 
fore  and  lay  across  our  path,"  said  the 
girl,  taking  up  the  thread  of  his  narra 
tive. 

"  And  you  asked  me  if  I  found  any 
thing,  Molly?" 

'  Yes,  yes,"  she  laughed  joyously, 
"  and  you  were  so  long  a  time  fishing  in 
your  pockets  that  at  last  you  said,  '  you'd 
better  sit  down  if  you  want  to  hear  what 
I've  found.' 

"  I  was  secretly  pleased  at  that, 
Jerry." 


SALAD  AND  LOVE         335 

"  And  we  did  sit,  and  how  we  did  talk, 
Molly!  I  remember  every  word,  you 
said." 

She  threw  out  her  hands  with  a  laugh 
ing  gesture  of  denial. 

"  I  didn't  know  Omar  very  well  in  those 
days,"  he  went  on,  "  but  before  we  parted, 
the  best  thing  in  his  book  was  mine  for 
ever." 

'  What  was  that?"  she  asked  quickly. 

'  When  time  lets  slip  a  little  perfect 

hour, 

Oh,  take  it,  for  it  will  not  come 
again/ 3 

The  girl  smiled  at  him  appreciatively, 
but  Bess  was  at  the  door  urging  them  to 
come  in,  and  Molly  remembering  the 
salad  flew  into  the  little  kitchen  to  pre 
pare  it.  The  color  rose  high  in  Molly's 
cheeks  as  she  finished  her  task  and  called 
them  in  to  tea.  All  went  well  until  Mr. 
Storey  took  some  of  the  salad.  Molly, 
who  at  that  moment  had  been  studying 


336  MINT  JULEB 

the  face  of  her  guest  saw  a  look  of  min 
gled  surprise  and  amusement  as  he 
tasted  it.  He  did  not  eat  any  more  of 
it,  but  Bess,  with  a  growing  girl's  appe 
tite  had  taken  a  generous  mouthful  and 
made  a  little  moue  with  her  red  lips. 

"  Oh,  Molly,  what  is  the  matter  with 
that  salad,  it's  awful,  isn't  it,  Mr.  Storey," 
blurted  Bess. 

Molly  blushed  furiously  and  took  the 
merest  taste. 

"  There  is  something  wrong  with  it," 
said  Molly. 

"  It's  the  oil,"  declared  Bess,  "  where 
did  you  get  the  oil  for  it,  Molly? " 

"  Right  there  in  the  closet,"  said  Molly. 
"  Oh,  dear,  I  wonder  if  I  took  the  wrong 
bottle." 

"  You  certainly  did,"  said  Bess,  go 
ing  to  the  closet,  and  holding  up  the 
half -used  bottle  labelled  "  machine  oil." 

The  man  laughed  joyously  and  during 
the  rest  of  the  meal  Bess  carried  on  an 
endless  amount  of  significant  bantering 


SALAD  AND  LOVE        337 

over  Molly's  efforts  in  the  house-keeping 
line. 

Shortly  after  tea  Mrs.  Julep  arrived 
home  from  her  trip  to  Chelsea.  She  was 
brimming  over  with  the  chatter  of  her 
visit,  and  in  the  evening  they  all  sat  on 
the  little  vine-covered  porch  until  Mr. 
Storey  took  his  leave. 

"  I  wish  she  had  stayed  at  Bella's  a  few 
hours  longer,"  said  the  man  in  an  under 
tone  when  the  girl  he  loved  had  walked 
with  him  to  the  gate.  "  Thank  the  fates, 
Mollie,  that  Mint  Julep  isn't  a  lawyer." 

"Why?"  asked  the  girl  with  a  ripple 
of  laughter. 

"  Because  no  case  she  had  anything  to 
do  with  would  ever  be  finished.  She 
would  never  get  through  talking." 

"  She  is  the  dearest  soul  in  the  world," 
said  the  girl,  "  and  I  won't  hear  one  word 
against  her." 

"  Molly,"  said  the  man  suddenly,  his 
voice  earnest  with  a  deep  purpose,  "I'm 
going  away  to-morrow  and  shall  be  gone 


338  MINT  JULEP, 

the  rest  of  the  week.  I  wanted  to  say 
so  much  to  you  to-day,"  he  went  on. 
"  Mollie,  we  love  each  other.  We  were 
made  for  each  other  and  I  want  you 
dear,  every  day  that  I  live. " 

"  I  need  your  love,  your  faith,  your 
helpfulness.  When  will  you  come  Mollie  ? 
Can  you  not  marry  me  at  once?" 

"  Oh,  not  at  once.  Aunt  Lida  would 
never  consent  to  that  I  know." 

"  I  will  see  her  just  as  soon  as  I  come 
back  Mollie.  In,  the  meantime  I  shall 
write." 

"  Mollie  you  need  a  wrap  out  there," 
called  Mint  Julep  from  the  porch. 

"  Thank  you,  Mrs.  Julep,  I'm  coming 
in  at  once." 

"  I  think  I  had  better  go  now,"  said 
the  girl.  "  It  is  growing  late." 

"  I  must  not  keep  you,  dear,"  he  whis 
pered,  and  raising  her  little  hand  that 
rested  lightly  on  the  gate,  pressed  it  to 
his  lips  and  was  gone. 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII 

"  AUTUMN     NODDING     o'EE    THE     YELLOW 
PLAIN  " 

4  6fT^HE  summer  is  over  at  last, 
Bess,"  said  Mint  one  morning 
many  weeks  after  the  events  of 
the  last  chapter. 

The  children  were  just  leaving  the  lit 
tle  cottage  for  school  and  Mint  stood  at 
the  door  watching  them.  '  Yes,"  said 
Bess.  "  the  honeysuckle  vine  looks  thin 
and  this  very  morning  there  was  a  thin 
coating  of  ice  in  a  pan  of  water  that  was 
left  in  the  yard  over  night." 

:'  Well  we  can't  expect  summer  all  the 
time.  We  had  a  good  time  out  doors  and 
now  it's  time  to  do  a  little  more  indoors," 
said  Mint ;  "  run  along  now  for  school  so 
as  to  be  nice  and  early,  keep  an  eye  on 
339 


340  MINT  JULEP 

Mamie,  and  Jimmie  you  look  out  for 
Bud." 

When  the  little  gate  had  shut  behind 
them,  Mint  turned  and  entered  the  house 
and  went  into  her  sitting  room. 

She  walked  to  the  mantelpiece  where  a 
large  white  envelope  rested  against  the 
black  onyx  clock,  opened  it  and  read  for 
the  third  time  since  she  had  received  it 
that  morning  the  invitation  engraved  on 
its  pages. 

Mint  Julep's  face  beamed  as  she  put 
it  back  in  the  envelope.  "  So  Molly  Burt 
and  Jeremiah  Storey  are  going  to  be  mar 
ried  and  me  and  William  are  invited  to 
the  ceremony.  Well  I  declare,"  said 
Mint.  "  I'll  write  this  very  day  and  tell 
William  the  good  news  and  find  out  for 
sure  if  he's  going  to  be  home  in  time  to 
go,  for  I  wouldn't  miss  seeing  Molly  mar 
ried  for  all  th'  world;  and  here  I've  been 
allus  dyin'  for  a  chanst  to  wear  my  purple 
silk  and  now  it's  come  at  last."  And  prac 
tical  though  she  was,  Mint  Julep  dropped 
into  a  chair  while  visions  began  to  arise  be- 


AUTUMN  NODDING       341 

fore  her  mind's  eye  of  the  splendor  and 
glory  of  attending  Molly  Burt's  wedding 
in  a  purple  silk. 

But  alas  Mint's  day-dreaming  was  sud 
denly  interrupted  by  a  lusty  shout  from 
the  twins  and  jumping  to  her  feet  Mint 
ran  into  the  kitchen  to  find  Ham  and  Egg 
on  top  of  the  kitchen  table. 

Ham  had  succeeded  in  reaching  a  bottle 
of  glue  on  a  little  shelf,  hence  the  shout  of 
triumph.  "I  ish  goin'  shick  tings  wid 
dis,"  declared  Ham. 

"  You  air  goin'  to  stick  in  the  back  yard 
and  play  or  I'll  stick  things,"  replied 
Mint,  and  taking  one  under  each  arm  she 
carried  them  out  doors. 


m 


CHAPTER  XXXIX 

WEDDING-DAY    FINERY 

4  4 T' M  afraid  we'll  be  a  little  late  Wil 
liam,  but  I  don't  know  as  I'm  feel- 
in'  bad  ter  cavort  up  the  aisle  at  a 
weddin'  in  a  purple  silk  an'  a  good  lookin' 
man,  though  I  think  you  got  too  much  cas 
tor  ile  on  your  hair  William;  it's  tricklin' 
down  your  ears  —  wipe  it  off  an'  when  I 
take  your  arm  jest  let  the  other  swing 
kinder  graceful  like,  don't  lay  it  crost  your 
stummick,  cause  it  looks  then  as  if  you  hed 
a  pain,  an'  you  never  did  in  your  life,  did 
yer? " 

Araminta  stopped  long  enough  to  look 
at  her  husband  and  screw  her  face  into  a 
smile. 

"  No  I  guess  you  don't  know  what  a 

good  pain  is,  men  don't  anyway  and  the 

Juleps  are  a  healthy  lot.     I'm  glad  it's 

sech  a  lovely  day,  happy  is  the  bride  that 

342 


WEDDING-DAY  FINERY      343 

the  sun  shines  on,  'though  I  don't  take  too 
much  stock  in  that.  There  was  Maria 
Stebins  with  a  married  life  to  her  credit 
that  'ud  make  any  *  grand  sweet  song ' 
seem  like  shoo  fly  'sides  a  chorus  of  ten 
children,  twins  twict,  an'  all  livin*. 

;'  Well  the  day  she  married  Jake  Good- 
enough  of  Farnham,  'twas  raining  as  if 
the  flood  gates  of  Heaven  had  opened  and 
wuss  than  all,  Jake  slipped  in  a  mud  pud 
dle  goin'  inter  church  and  spiled  his  new 
lavender  pants.  The  croakers  was  all 
shakin'  their  heads,  but  Jake  jest  stud  up 
and  shook  his  pants. 

"  No  William  the  rain  won't  spile  any 
body's  life  'less  their  willin'.  Still  I'm 
glad  it's  a  bright  day,  there's  no  denyin', 
umbrellas  at  a  weddin'  ain't  real  inspirin'." 

"  Eh?  Was  yer  goin'  to  speak,  Wil 
liam?" 

William  who  had  been  standing,  hat  in 
hand  like  a  wooden  image,  on  the  thres 
hold  of  his  wife's  boudoir  trying  to  fol 
low  her  varied  movements,  shook  his  head 
and  rested  on  the  other  foot. 


344  MINT  JULEP 

"  I'll  git  my  hat  William  and  then  I'll 
be  ready  —  now  jest  wait  'till  yer  see  a 
work  of  art." 

Mint  got  on  her  knees  and  drew  from 
under  the  bed  a  great  bundle,  opened  it 
and  held  up  for  William's  inspection,  the 
largest  hat  in  creation;  it  was  completely 
covered  with  roses  of  various  hues,  while 
over  all,  rested  two  white  doves,  wings 
spread  as  if  ready  for  flight. 

The  sight  of  this  head-gear  restored 
William's  speech. 

"  Ain't  it  some  heavy,  Araminta?  " 

"  Now  if  thet  ain't  jest  like  a  man, — 
not  how  it  looks,  but  if  it  feels  comfort 
able.  William  Julep  you'll  never  learn 
younger  that  style  was  made  fust  fer 
looks,  if  a  speck  of  comfort  was  consid 
ered  you're  lucky;  course  it's  heavy,  but 
if  'twas  a  hod  of  coal  I'd  hev  to  stand  it 
today.  You  an'  me  has  been  invited  to  a 
weddin'  at  the  church.  When  thet  sweet 
miss  Molly  sent  me  that  invitation  I 
vowed  I'd  go  an'  go  in  style  an'  I  guess 
I've  got  a  whole  rose-bush  on  my  hat, 


WEDDING-DAY  FINERY       345 

'though  I  will  say  I  never  see  purple  roses 
nor  yet  green  ones  but  style  can  turn  a 
rose  any  color.  I  wrote  to  Bella  Ball  to 
git  me  a  hat ;  I  told  her  I  was  willin'  to  pay 
a  good  price  fer  something  real  stylish.  I 
said  as  how  I'd  go  as  high  as  three-ninety- 
eight,  but  do  you  know  she  wrote  ter  me 
that  the  price  was  appallin' —  Appallin'  is 
the  word  says  Bella,  fer  they  wanted  twen 
ty-five  dollars  fer  a  weddin'  hat  in  one  of 
them  stores  thet  had  nothin'  on  it  but  a  few 
roses  an'  one  little  turtle  dove. 

'  I  could  trim  it  myself  as  good '  says 
Bella, — '  go  ahead '  says  I,  '  fill  it  with 
roses  an'  put  on  two  little  turtle  doves,'  an' 
she  did,  an'  sent  it  an'  I  do  think  it  looks 
beautiful,  though  you'd  be  surprised  Wil 
liam  —  one  little  turtle  dove  costs  a  lot  of 
money.  But  I  admit  I  hev  a  weakness 
fer  some  of  the  frivols  of  my  sex.  I  like 
flounces  an'  julery,  an'  I  don't  care  who 
knows  thet  my  favorite  perfume  is 
musk. 

"  Come  along,  William." 


A    000129539    3 


